‘Korean Treasures’ — First Overseas Tour of the Lee Kun-hee Collection Opens in Washington D.C.
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
The Lee Kun-hee Collection’s first international stop opened at the National Museum of Asian Art (Smithsonian) in Washington D.C. The show, “Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared,” presents 172 objects (297 items) from the late Samsung chairman’s donation, including seven national treasures and 15 designated treasures, plus 24 modern and contemporary works from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Highlights include Jeong Seon’s Inwangjesaekdo, Kim Hong-do’s Chuseongbudo, the lunar-sun landscape (Ilwol Oakdo), examples of Goryeo celadon and Joseon white porcelain, and modern masters such as Kim Whanki and Park Soo-keun. Curated around ten themes, the exhibition traces Korean art from the Three Kingdoms period through the 20th century, exploring collecting traditions (chaekgado — Korean still-life ‘bookshelf painting’), Buddhist art, ceramics, court art and modern reinterpretations. The tour is part of a long-term “Korean galleries support” initiative and will move to the Art Institute of Chicago (Mar–Jul 2026) and the British Museum in London (Sep 2026–Jan 2027). The show aims to contextualize K-culture’s roots and includes related merchandise and an international symposium on Korean art and collecting.
