Korean Lacquer Art: Aesthetic Perfection

A traditional art form with a history spanning several thousand years, Korean lacquer art is prized for its inimitable artistic and technical perfection. Drawing on a display at the Museum of Lacquer Art in Münster, this beautifully illustrated book introduces readers to outstanding—and often extremely rare—examples of lacquer art, which involves adorning objects with tree sap and intricately inlaying them with shell, gold leaf, or pearl. Among the objects photographed for this book are works from the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, particularly valued periods in the history of lacquer art known for vivid pieces inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

           
Each object in Korean Lacquer Art is described in considerable detail and extensively illustrated. Together with essays by renowned experts on the techniques used to create them, they present a picture of the multifaceted development of Korean lacquer art from its beginnings through the early twentieth century.