O Sech’ang’s Compilation of Kŭnyŏk sŏhwa sa 槿域 書畵史 (History of Korean painting and calligraphy) and the Publication of Kŭnyŏk sŏhwa ching 槿域 書畵徵 (Biographical records of Korean painters and calligraphers)

Abstract

The compilation of Kŭnyŏk sŏhwa sa 槿域書畵史 (History of Korean painting and calligraphy) by O Sech’ang 吳世昌 (1864–1953) in 1917 represents the first tangible achievement of a growing ‘‘national’’ and ‘‘independent’’ self-consciousness regarding Korean art history. When, in 1928, the manuscript was typeset and republished by the Kyemyŏng kurakpu 啓明俱樂部 (Enlightenment Club) and widely distributed by Ch’oe Namsŏn 崔南善 (1890–1957) under the new title Kŭnyŏk sŏhwa ching 槿域書畵徵 (Biographical records of Korean painters and calligraphers), it became the foundation for all future Korean art historical scholarship. This article aims to illuminate the art historical significance of this event through an investigation of the motivation for compiling Kŭnyŏk sŏhwa sa and for publishing Kŭnyŏk sŏhwa ching.