근대 미국의 고려청자 Collection 형성과 연구 성과의 의미

Abstract

This text contemplated the chronology and method of influx of Goryeo Celadon into the United States as well as the matter of how such wares were understood and researched. Additionally, through an in-depth examination of letters, invoices, articles, etc. pertaining to the purchase of Goryeo Celadon by museums or private collectors, new information was presented regarding the purchasing process and periodical change in economical value of such wares, material crucial to the research of 12th century Goryeo Celadon. Most Goryeo Celadon entered the United States after the signing of the 1882 United States-Korea Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation. But it was not until after the 1900’s that the influx of high-quality Goryeo Celadon increased significantly, and between the years 1910 and 1920, Goryeo Celadon was actively amassed to form the first substantial collections in America. The wares were obtained through various methods, one of which included the bestowing of Goryeo Celadon as a gift from the royal family to American individuals with important diplomatic/political ties toKorea. Goryeo Celadon was also directly procured by American scholars intending to study the wares as objects of ethnographic research. Lastly, Goryeo Celadon was also circulated and sold as a commercial object as well as acquired by museums or private collectors. Awareness of and research on Goryeo Celadon in America was most concentrated from the mid-1900’s until about 1930, a period that also experienced active assembly of private collections of the ware. These private collections gave American scholars specializing in Asian ceramics the opportunity to directly study Goryeo Celadon of superior quality, and therefore conclude that there was a marked difference in shape, decoration, and glaze color from that of Chinese or Japanese Celadon. It follows that scholars increasingly presented research and opinions clearly discerning Goryeo Celadon and its unique form as well as its innovative production technique from the wares of China and Japan. In terms of economic worth, the price of Goryeo Celadon in America increased by five and even up to ten times more during the late 1920’s, and as a consequence, the value and practice of maintaining high-quality Goryeo Celadon in private collections experienced growth accordingly. Of noteworthy attention is the <Celadon cylindrical cup with lid>, one of the 41 pieces of Goryeo Celadon purchased in 1911 in Japan by Langdon Warner, curator of the Harvard Fogg Museum. Documents concerning the piece indicate that its provenance is thought to be the Royal Tomb of King Injong. Because Goryeo Celadon excavated from the Royal Tomb of King Injong was purchased by the Joseon Government-General Museum in 1916, andthe tomb was not looted anytime after 1911, it is possible that this particular piece was one of many to have been found at the site in the years between. This example not only demonstrates what new information can be extracted from the examination of such records, but also makes a strong case for the necessity of further research regarding Goryeo Celadon in Modern America. Conclusively, Goryeo Celadon was regarded in a number of different manners from object of ethnographic research to costly item of high artistic value amassed in collections and finally, subject of scholarly research on Korea. Thus, Goryeo Celadon played an important role as every context contributed to the formation of and change in the understanding of Korean ceramics in Modern America. This transformed perception persisted from the 1910’s up until the early 1930’s. However, this relatively short period was followed by an exponential increase in the ware’s value, making it progressively difficult to form new collections and in the process, halting the once growing interest in and research on Goryeo Celadon.