Korea's First Museum and the Categorization of “Buddhist Statues”

Abstract The establishment of a museum in the precinct Ch'anggyŏnggung Palace 1909 marked an important moment historiography Korean art. Although recent studies have examined founding, organization, and financing first museum, formation its Buddhist art collection historical implications remain unexamined. Given that not single temple was allowed to exist within capital city, entry these objects into palace demonstrates radical paradigm shift royal court's relation icons. museum's reveals what available market time considered worthy being collected museum. Through close examination Korea's collection, this study traces recontextualization religious icons behind category “Buddhist statues.”