근대 미국의 고려청자 Collection 형성과 연구 성과의 의미 = The Formation and Research Achievements of Goryeo Celadon Collections in Modern America

국문 초록 (Abstract)

고려청자가 미국으로 유입되는 시기는 대체로 1882년 조·미 수호통상조약이 체결된 이후이며, 1900년대 이후에 양질의 고려청자가 미국에 대거 유입되면서 Collection이 집중적으로 형성되었다. 유입 방법은 왕실에 외교적·정치적으로 기여한 미국인에게 선물로 주는 경우, 미국인들이 직접 수집한 민족지학적 조사물로 유입된 경우, 유통·매매되는 상품이나 박물관이나 개인 소장가의 소장품으로 유입되는 경우 등이 확인되었다. 미국내 고려청자에 대한 인식과 연구는 1900년대 후반에서 1930년경까지 집중적으로 보이는데, 대체로 개인 소장가들의 고려청자 컬렉션이 형성되는 시기와 일치하였다. 미국내 동양 도자 연구자들이 개인소장들의 고려청자 컬렉션 통해서 우수한 품질의 고려청자를 직접 실견하면서, 기형·문양·유색 등에서 중국이나 일본 도자와 다른 독창적인 조형성과 발전된 제작 기술에 대한 글과 의견이 대두되었다. 실제, 미국내 고려청자의 경제적 가치가 1920년대 후반에는 5배에서 10배까지 수직 상승하였고, 고려청자의 소장 가치가 가격 상승으로 이어졌음을 알 수 있다. 특히 보스턴미술관 학예사 Langdon Warner가 1911년에 일본에서 구입한 41점의 고려자기 중에 인종 장릉에서 출토된 것으로 추정되는<청자유개통형잔>이 확인되었다. 조선총독부박물관이 인종 장릉 출토 고려청자를 구입한 시기가 1916년이기 때문에, 인종 장릉이 도굴된 시점은 적어도 1911년 이전이며, 더 많은 부장 유물이 있었을 것이라는 추정도 가능하다. 이러한 새로운 자료는 당시 구입 서류에 기재된내용을 바탕으로 연구한 결과일 뿐만 아니라 근대 미국에 유입된 고려청자 연구의 중요성을 말해주고 있다. 결과적으로 고려청자가 민족지학적 관점에서 수집되던 조사물에서 예술적 가치를 지닌 고가의 수장품으로, 학문적 연구 대상으로 변화하면서 한국도자에 대한 근대 미국의 인식을 바꾸는데 중요한 역할을 한 것은 틀림없다. 이러한 분위기는 1910년대에서 1930년대 초까지 이어졌지만 그 이후에 점차 고려청자의 가격 상승으로 인해 새로운 컬렉션이 형성되지 않으면서 더 이상 고려청자에 대한 관심과 연구가 지속되지 않았던 것으로 보인다.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This text contemplated the chronology and method of influx of Goryeo Celadon into the United States as well as the matter of how such wares were understood and researched. Additionally, through an in-depth examination of letters, invoices, articles, etc. pertaining to the purchase of Goryeo Celadon by museums or private collectors, new information was presented regarding the purchasing process and periodical change in economical value of such wares, material crucial to the research of 12th century Goryeo Celadon. Most Goryeo Celadon entered the United States after the signing of the 1882 United States-Korea Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation. But it was not until after the 1900`s that the influx of high-quality Goryeo Celadon increased significantly, and between the years 1910 and 1920, Goryeo Celadon was actively amassed to form the first substantial collections in America. The wares were obtained through various methods, one of which included the bestowing of Goryeo Celadon as a gift from the royal family to American individuals with important diplomatic/political ties to Korea. Goryeo Celadon was also directly procured by American scholars intending to study the wares as objects of ethnographic research. Lastly, Goryeo Celadon was also circulated and sold as a commercial object as well as acquired by museums or private collectors. Awareness of and research on Goryeo Celadon in America was most concentrated from the mid-1900`s until about 1930, a period that also experienced active assembly of private collections of the ware. These private collections gave American scholars specializing in Asian ceramics the opportunity to directly study Goryeo Celadon of superior quality, and therefore conclude that there was a marked difference in shape, decoration, and glaze color from that of Chinese or Japanese Celadon. It follows that scholars increasingly presented research and opinions clearly discerning Goryeo Celadon and its unique form as well as its innovative production technique from the wares of China and Japan. In terms of economic worth, the price of Goryeo Celadon in America increased by five and even up to ten times more during the late 1920`s, and as a consequence, the value and practice of maintaining high-quality Goryeo Celadon in private collections experienced growth accordingly. Of noteworthy attention is the < Celadon cylindrical cup with lid >, one of the 41 pieces of Goryeo Celadon purchased in 1911 in Japan by Langdon Warner, curator of the Harvard Fogg Museum. Documents concerning the piece indicate that its provenance is thought to be the Royal Tomb of King Injong. Because Goryeo Celadon excavated from the Royal Tomb of King Injong was purchased by the Joseon Government-General Museum in 1916, and the tomb was not looted anytime after 1911, it is possible that this particular piece was one of many to have been found at the site in the years between. This example not only demonstrates what new information can be extracted from the examination of such records, but also makes a strong case for the necessity of further research regarding Goryeo Celadon in Modern America. Conclusively, Goryeo Celadon was regarded in a number of different manners from object of ethnographic research to costly item of high artistic value amassed in collections and finally, subject of scholarly research on Korea. Thus, Goryeo Celadon played an important role as every context contributed to the formation of and change in the understanding of Korean ceramics in Modern America. This transformed perception persisted from the 1910`s up until the early 1930`s. However, this relatively short period was followed by an exponential increase in the ware`s value, making it progressively difficult to form new collections and in the process, halting the once growing interest in and research on Goryeo Celadon.