philamuseum: “FIRST LOOK” FAVORITE: The Museum’s Korean art holdings have undergon
philamuseum: “FIRST LOOK” FAVORITE: The Museum’s Korean art holdings have undergone a period of rapid growth in recent years and are overseen by a curator dedicated solely to the arts of this region, one of few such positions in the United States. Among the finest new additions to the Korean collection is Ten Longevity Symbols, on view now in “First Look: Collecting for Philadelphia.” The painting represents a subject that was particularly popular during Korea’s Joseon dynasty. Despite its title, the picture depicts eleven signs of long life: the sun, clouds, water, rocks, mountains, pine trees, bamboo, fungus, turtles, cranes, and deer. Each of these natural elements individually signifies longevity throughout East Asia, but it was Korean artists who grouped them conceptually into ten, a number that connotes perfection and good fortune in Asian culture. “Ten Longevity Symbols,” 19th Century (Joseon Dynasty), Korea See more treasures from “First Look: Collecting for Philadelphia” -- source link