18-19세기 지방 이해와 도시경관의 시각적 이미지

Abstract

The Joseon Dynasty worked hard to expand its knowledge of provincial geography in order to establish a system of centralized control. From the 18th century onward, rural intellectuals took part in the compilation of geography books and production of maps, while literary works also made greater use of geographical information. In fact, the royal family and ruling class's view of the provinces as subordinate to the capital influenced both the items included in geography books and the form and content of visual materials. The trend for visualizing so-called cityscapes can be witnessed in the form of capital paintings (都城圖), which include pictorial maps (繪畵式 地圖) and true-view landscape paintings (眞景山水畵) reflecting increased population and densely built houses. In the late 18th century, paintings showing complete views of Seoul (城市圖) and realistically depicting the elegance of the capital, were produced. In the provinces, a notable trend for visualizing key towns and cities emerged. But, as paintings of Pyeongyang (平壤圖) show, these only went as far as depicting public buildings and facilities and densely built private houses, and made little effort to portray the commercial spaces that would have showed other aspects of city life. This was also the case with other provincial towns, depictions of which imitated the iconographic practice of emphasizing governmental spaces. This was because paintings of provincial cities originated as part of efforts by the royal family and ruling class to acquire information for the purposes of government, and because these paintings were largely produced by the same type of client and artist. From the mid-19th century onwards, the mood among artists of a step away from reality and the failure of scholar-officials to effect a change in consciousness in accordance with rapidly changing domestic and international circumstances, were also likely to have had an effect. In short, the imagery in paintings of provincial cityscapes (城邑景觀) shows that while literary works presenting geographical information reacted sensitively to changing social conditions, visual materials failed to spontaneously take in elements of urban scenery.