Buddhist Sculpture

Whitfield, Roderick and Youngsook Pak:

ISBN 10: 897084192X / ISBN 13: 9788970841922

Published by Ye-Gyeong Pub Co, 2002

About this Item

473 p. , ill. In good condition. - Foreword -- Over the past decade a growing number of students have been taking my Korean art course. Inexpensive and easily accessible reference books in English on Korean art are in great demand. This small book on Korean Buddhist Sculpture is one of a new series of monographs in English on Korean art, intended for students and as a quick reference for anyone who is interested in Korean art. The illustrations in this volume were chosen initially from the Yekyong series of Pulsang (Buddhist Sculpture), by Kwak Dong-sök published in Korean, but a number of images which were not included in the Korean Version have been added, for instance Buddhist images in stone. The limitations of space and the nature of this book have dictated a selection of the most representative images of particular periods or styles. For instance it was not possible to discuss all the images of the Sokkuram Buddhist cave, each of which is a masterpiece. Sokkuram alone would need a whole book to discuss properly. The same would be the case with the stone images on Namsan, the sacred mountain close to the Silla Capital Kyöngju. -- Over a period of some one thousand five hundred years, Buddhism became an indispensable and integral part of Korean culture, revolutionizing Korean thinking and Korean perceptions of the past, present and future life. The images presented here are just a small selection of Korean interpretations of the divine intended for worship and as expressions of devotion. It is to be regretted that only two Buddhist sculptures from collections in North Korea (figs. 07-1, 057-1) could be included in this volume. I hope the day will soon come when scholars can work together to cncompass the entire Korean heritage. -- Without the extensive and thorough researches by a number of specialists on Korean sculpture, especially those by Chin Hong-sup, Hwang Su-yong, Kang Woo-bang, Kim Lena and Mun Myong-dae, I could not have written this volume. Generally, I have followed their dating. In some cases though I have had to rely on my own judgement, as their dating differs, and I have tried to interpret some works from different angles. I am solely responsible for any shortcomings. I am grateful to my co-author Roderick Whitfield who has always given me valuable suggestions based on his extensive knowledge of East Asian and particularly Chinese Buddhist art. Most of all, we are both immensely grateful to Han Byoung-hwa of Yekyong Publications. He has both provided us with an opportunity to fill a gap in publications on Korean art history in Western languages, and produced a series of outstanding illustrations to Yekyong's customary and exemplary Standard of excellence. ISBN 9788970841922 Sprache: Englisch Gewicht in Gramm: 450.

Seller Inventory # 1228254

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Buddhist Sculpture
• Publisher: Ye-Gyeong Pub Co
• Publication Date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 897084192X
• ISBN 13: 9788970841922
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Gut
• Weight: 450 grams
• Seller catalogs:
  • Bildende Kunst

About this title

Synopsis

This new multi-volume series is designed to provide the reader with a comprehensive, up-to-date and readable introduction to major aspects of Korea's rich artistic heritage: Buddhist sculpture, folk painting, earthenware and celadon, and white porcelain and punch'ong ware. Other topics will follow in successive volumes. Based on their extensive knowledge and research, the various authors have sought to cover new ground in their choice of pieces and to provide a wealth of detail concerning their manufacture and historical importance, with the aid of pictures of comparative pieces, maps, tables and glossaries, and a selected bibliography.

About the Author

Youngsook Pak and Roderick Whitfield both teach in the Department of Art and Archaeology in the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Dr Pak is the author of many articles and books on Korean art, and acts as academic advisor to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. After working at the British Museum, Professor Whitfield was appointed Percival David Professor of Chinese and East Asian Art, University of London. He is the author of several books on Chinese painting and Chinese Buddhist art, and co-curated the exhibition Treasures from Korea at the British Museum in 1984.