Korea through landscapes
A trip to Corfu is well worth the effort this time of year and not just for a visit to the Ionian island. The Museum of Asian Art recently unveiled a new exhibition on «Korea Through Its Landscapes,» with 13 paintings dating from the Joseon Dynasty (1329-1910), as well as a unique screen that belongs to the museum’s permanent collection. The Museum of Asian Art was founded in 1927 after the donation of 10,500 items by an ambassador, Gregorios Manos. Up until 1974 it operated as the Sino-Japanese Art Museum, but was later enriched with other private collections. It is housed in a building of the British Protectorate, designed by the British architect George Whitmore and built between 1819 and 1824. It was initially used as the residence of the Lord High Commissioner and as the headquarters of the Knights of the Order of St Michael and St George. Following the unification of the Ionian Islands with mainland Greece, the museum was handed over to the Greek state and for a while served as the summer residence of the Greek royal family. The exhibition «Korea Through Its Landscapes» is the first of a two-part exhibition that will be completed in the spring with the arrival of another collection. According to the museum’s director, Despina Zernioti, the aim of the show is to create a panorama of Korean cultural heritage and to highlight the particular beauty of Joseon art.
