Each year, NMK acquires more relics and works of art from a variety of sources, including excavations, purchases, and donations. In 2011, the museum purchased 211 items and recovered 619 new artifacts from excavation sites.

Some of the most notable purchases include two detailed portraits from the Mughal Empire that ruled a vast area encompassing much of present-day India and Pakistan from 1526 to 1857. These highly realistic works depict a monarch being waited on by his servant, and an elegantly dressed woman in a moment of serenity and quietude. They were each executed with very meticulous brush strokes, epitomizing the beauty of court paintings from the Mughal Empire.

Portrait of the Emperor Farrukh Siyyar

Mughal Empire, 18^th Century

Portrait of a Mughal Princess

Mughal Empire, 17^th Century

Also in 2011, the museum expanded its collection of Ragamala, a series of drawings representing the musical scale, thereby integrating the three art forms of music, poetry, and drawing. We hope that these purchases will offer visitors the chance to experience the rich diversity of Indian culture outside of Buddhist and Hindu art.

Ragamala Series

Korean artifacts purchased in 2011 include classical texts and documents showing the political, social, and living culture of the Joseon Dynasty. For example, “Neungeomgyeong eonhae,” or “Surangama Sutra” translated into Korean, was reformatted from the original Chinese text into the Korean reading style under the order of King Sejo (r. 1455-1468). Other purchases include Landscape, a drawing by Oh Sun (a.k.a. Chojeon), who was an active court artist during the reign of King Jeongjo (r. 1776-1800), and Jeongwaegigong dobyeong (Painting in Memory of the Victory Over the Japanese Invaders), illustrating the Battle of Suncheon Japanese Castle, the Sea Battle of Noryang, and other battles that took place in the last year of the Japanese Invasion of Korea (1592-1598).

“Neungeomgyeong eonhae,” or “Surangama Sutra” translated into Korean

15^th Century

Landscape

Oh Sun, Mid-Joseon Dynasty

Jeongwaegigong dobyeong (Painting in Memory of the Victory over the Japanese Invaders)

Ming Dynasty, 19^th Century

Few visual materials regarding the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592 have survived, implying this painting that is made by a military painter of the Ming Dynasty to be an important historical evidence for studying the invasion.

The museum also purchased calligraphy executed by Shen Quan, a literary figure in the early Qing Dynasty (1616-1912) who taught calligraphy to the Kangxi Emperor. This work by Shen Quan is an imitation of “Gao Shen Tie” by Yan Zhenqing (709-785), the greatest calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty.

Calligraphy imitating “Gao Shen Tie” by Yan Zhenqing

Shen Quan, 18^th Century

All of these works and artifacts were carefully selected for purchase after rigorous review processes, and they offer a glimpse of NMK’s collection policy directions. They are expected to be utilized in future exhibitions at NMK, affiliate museums in the provinces, and Korean galleries overseas.