근대의 서화가 松隱 李秉直의 생애와 수장활동

Abstract

The Korean art history academia has lately been carrying out active research on the Korean art market and art collectors. This area of research is significant in that it attempts to overcome the limitations of previous research trends focused on tracing back and analyzing preeminent masters, their schools and their influence, and approach new subject matters such as art and society, circulation and consumption of art works, which were unapproachable with previous research methods. This paper examines the life, artwork and art collection activities of Songeun(松隱) Yi Byeong-jik(李秉直: 1896–1973), an outstanding painter, calligrapher and art collector during the Japanese colonial period. The primary purpose of this paper is to advance the research project the author has recently initiated on modern Korean art collectors by reconstructing parts of this major art collector’s individual lifestyle and to generally identify the art collection activities and the art works that he kept. Yi Byeong-jik, one of the preeminent art collectors during the colonial period, disposed his voluminous collection through two auctions in 1937 and 1941, and then held another auction two weeks before the onset of the Korean War on June 25, 1950 to sell off the remaining works. It seems that the reason why Yi had auctioned off his collections was for the purpose of investing in education. The tale that Yi safely kept ‘Sam-guk-yu-sa(三國遺事),’ which is considered a national treasure, even through the time of turbulence is evidence of his exemplary behavior as a model art collector. He may be one of the best examples of what an art collector should be in terms of giving back to the society and preserving things of beauty and value. However, one factor that limited and defined Yi’s life was that he was a eunuch. This aspect of his life could be pointed out as the biggest factor that stopped him from becoming a mainstream participant in the art world despite his influence as a great painter, calligrapher, significant art collector, and discerning connoisseur.