한국 근대 서화계의 형성과 성격

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the formation and character of the Korean calligraphic painting circles in the modern times. For the examination, the study prior considered how the art history of the late Joseon period was changed as the nation was forced by the outside power to enter the modern times. Since the Gabo Reforms(甲午改革), calligraphic painters of Joseon began independent activities at their will, resultantly forming their modern circles. In other words, those painters organized themselves and voluntarily produced, sold and distributed calligraphic paintings. They were in control of the entire mechanism related to calligraphic paintings. At that time, however, calligraphic painters were asked a serious question, 'how can calligraphic paintings be significant in the modern times?'. They gave an answer, associated with the then dominant discourse on civilization, that calligraphic painting could contribute to national development as well as civilization formation. But those painters couldn't easily respond to a stingy question from Byeon Young Ro(卞榮魯), 'which part of calligraphic painting is something civilizing or national ?' This is partly attributed to the fact that Joseon was rapidly modernized under the Japanese colonial rule. Japanese imperialists and pro-Japanese bureaucrats were deeply involved in the Korean calligraphic painting circles from their outset. For their survival, members of the circles asked those imperialists and bureaucrats to provide financial supports, rather than rejecting the colonial powers. Therefore, those members couldn't help participating in the Joseon Art Exhibition(朝鮮美術展覽會) that the Japanese government-general in Joseon began to host from May 1922. Under this circumstance, they had no room for considering or establishing the civilizing and national attributes of Korean calligraphic painting. This suggests that calligrahic painters of the modern times were still in a situation like they depended on the pre-modern system of ruling by the noble class. Most of the painters lacked in the spirit of critcism about Japanese imperialists and pro-Japanese bureaucrats All of their activities involved the colonizers because the then calligraphic painters themselves just tried to rely on Japanese imperialists and pro-Japanese bureaucrats since they already realized those who were faithful to the Japanese colonial system were really powerful and financially strong enough to easily purchase calligraphic paintings. In conclusion, painters of the above modern circles that were formed under the Japanese colonial rule worked on civilizing calligraphic painting for the existence and survival of the painting and themselves, but they were not so serious about who should lead that civilization.