Basket from Lo-lang, Korea

2000, March, 5 a little revised 2007, Feb, 10

Click images to show ENLARGED IMAGES

Basket Basket

Lo-lang; a colony of Han Empire in Korea Peninsula(BC108-AD133) gave us a lot of artifacts in Han dyansty. Especially, many laquer artifacts were unearthed from the tombs. Recently, the artifacts are relatively ignored. Great archeological excavations in the Continent surpasssed the fame. Since the center of Lo-lang was near Pyonyang, the site and artifacts in Pyongyang are not easily accesible, now. The artifacts are saved in Seul, Japan, and etc, too.

WHOLE This laquer bamboo basket was a representative of paintings in Han Dynasty, but I don't know the recent provence. Soeul, I regarded, but Pyongyang may be true. I think it a masterpiece among paintings in East Han Dyanasty. Laquer artifacts in Warring-States Period--West Han Dyanasty are sometimes unearthed in Southen China (Hunan, south Honan, and Hupei Province), but I don't know such painting in East Han Dynaty.

Here, I offer some color plates and data from old sources.

The Left is a the body(39x 18x 12.5 cm)) jB [ref. Bijyutu Kenkyu] Its cover(39x18x9cm)is accompanied. The painting band is hidden, when the cover is set. A cross gilt bronze plate is inlaid on the top of the cover. On the top face of the cover, many figure are painted, but I can't find any fine colour plate (I have a dull monochrome plate). The right is two long picture bands of this basket. [ref. Mizuno]

"Chosen Koseki Kenkyu Kai" excavated the tomb with "Akio Koizumi" and "Syun-ichi Sawa"( cameraman) as leaders in 1932.

The tomb was constructed large wood parts. It had been parted, moved, and reconstructed in a museum in Pyongyang with a japanese curator. [ref. Koizumi]

Table Unearthed from the same tomb, A low laquer table shows beutiful ornament design. This detail plate seems light, fine and attractive drawings, contrast with powerful and robust warring states period laquer items.

References

  1. Bijyutu Kenkyu, No. XCVI, 1939/12, Tokyo
  2. S. Mizuno, KAN DAI NO KAIGA(Han Paintings), Heibonsha, 1957, Tokyo.
  3. A. Koizumi, TYOSEN RAKURO KOFUN WO HORU, GEIJYUTU-SINTYO, 1968/3, Tokyo.

HOME RETURN


 

Reiji Yamashina