Date of Award
2008
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program
Visual Arts
Supervisor
Dr. Madeline Lennon
Second Advisor
Dr. John Hatch
Abstract
This thesis examines comparative aesthetics focusing on Korean and European naturalism in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In this thesis I consider the different ways of understanding and depicting humankind and nature, and how these different perceptions affect the concept of naturalism in each culture, since the way Koreans perceive nature and naturalism is very different from European naturalism. While Korean naturalism can be described as the respect for and meditation on nature, European naturalism can be linked more closely with imitation of nature. This thesis focuses on naturalism in terms of the notion of Emptiness and Being in each culture. Korean paintings left unpainted space while European paintings completely filled the background with color and emphasized contrast of light and dark. The concepts of imitating nature and following nature are also essential characteristics for a comprehension of European and Korean naturalism.
Recommended Citation
Lee, Eunjoo, "Unpainted Sky: 17th and 18th Century Naturalism in Korea and Europe" (2008). Digitized Theses. 4445.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/4445