Looking East: Rubens’s Encounter with Asia
Looking East: Rubens's Encounter with Asia
March 5–June 9, 2013 at the Getty Center
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Among the greatest of Old Master draughtsmen, Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640) drew influence from an extraordinarily wide range of subject matter. Around 1617, he created a large-scale chalk drawing of a man wearing voluminous silk robes and a transparent headdress. This masterwork, now identified as a Man in Korean Costume, was acquired by the J. Paul Getty Museum in 1983. It is the centerpiece of an exhibition that provides the first in-depth study of this compelling drawing.
Since its creation, Rubens’s Man in Korean Costume has fascinated viewers. It was copied in the artist’s Antwerp studio and circulated as a reproductive print in the eighteenth century. Despite the drawing’s renown, why it was made and whether it actually portrays a specific individual are questions that remain unanswered. This intriguing work and the questions that surround it are the focal point of the exhibition Looking East: Rubens’s Encounter with Asia, on view March 5–June 9, 2013 at the Getty Museum.
Associate Curator Stephanie Schrader uses related drawings, prints, paintings, illustrated books, maps, and costumes to demonstrate how trade and religion informed Rubens’s understanding of Asian culture. In addition to the Getty Museum’s famous drawing, and loans from the Getty Research Institute and other prominent national and international institutions, the exhibition also features six national treasures from Korea. These exceptional Korean loans, none of which have ever been shown on the West Coast, include portraits of Joseon dynasty scholars as well as luxurious costumes recently excavated from the sixteenth-century tomb of a prominent military officer.
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RELATED EVENTS
All events are free, unless otherwise noted. Seating reservations are required. For reservations and information, please call (310) 440-7300 or visit www.getty.edu.
SYMPOSIUM
Crossing Borders, Drawing Boundaries:
Contextualizing Rubens’s Man in Korean Costume
Art historians, historians, and political scientists explore early encounters between Europeans and Asians in the fields of art, religion, and commerce. Using the Museum’s compelling drawing of a man in a Korean costume by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens as their starting point, participating scholars address the inevitable misunderstandings that arose and the cultural translations that occurred when borders were crossed in the early modern period.
Friday, March 15, 9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Museum Lecture Hall, Getty Center
LECTURE
The Many Identities of Peter Paul Rubens’s Man in Korean Costume:
New Perspectives on Old Interpretations
Stephanie Schrader, associate curator of Drawings, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and organizer of the exhibition Looking East: Rubens's Encounter with Asia, surveys and critiques various identities ascribed to the drawing of a man in Korean costume by Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens, focusing on the contexts of art, religion, trade, and politics.
Wednesday, May 1, 7:00 p.m.
Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Getty Center
PERFORMANCE
Hanbok: Mesmerising Beauty
Witness the rich and colorful history of Hanbok, a form of traditional dress in Korea, in this fashion show featuring more than 200 costumes by renowned designer Lee Hyun-sook. Inspired by Lee's extensive research on historical royal garments, this journey through Korean culture also includes dynamic performances by professional Korean dancers. Co-presented with the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles. Tickets $25. Tickets available beginning Thursday, February 21.
Friday March 22, 7:00 p.m.
Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Getty Center
ARTIST-AT-WORK DEMONSTRATIONS
Artist-at-Work Demonstration: Korean Costume and Textiles
Join Korean scholars and designers to explore the origins and influences of traditional clothing, accessories, and textiles from Korea, focusing on dress from the Joseon Dynasty. Discover the beauty and complexity of the Hanbok and other garments. This is a free, drop-in program. Program supported by the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles. All demonstrations take place in the Museum Lecture Hall, Getty Center.
Traditional Korean Textiles: The Making and Meaning of Color and Pattern
Presented by Hwang Oak Soh
Thursday, April 18, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 21, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
The Traditional Hanbok and Cheollik: Dress and Accessories in High Society
Presented by Sung-Sil Park
Thursday, May 9, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 12, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
The History and Philosophy of Korean Costume: Design, Structure, Rank, and Fashion
Presented by Minjee Kim
Thursday, May 16, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 19, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
The Queen's Attire: Ceremonial Dress in the Joseon Dynasty
Presented by Hyo Soon Cho
Thursday, June 6, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 9, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
TALKS
Curator’s Gallery Talk
Stephanie Schrader, associate curator of Drawings, the J. Paul Getty Museum, leads a gallery talk on the exhibition.
Tuesday, April 9, 2:30 p.m.
Museum galleries, Getty Center
FAMILY ACTIVITY
Family Festival
Explore Korean culture through music, dance, and interactive workshops in this free daylong family festival inspired by the exhibition Looking East: Rubens’s Encounter with Asia. On display in the galleries is Rubens’s drawing Man in Korean Costume, the first depiction of Korean costume in the West.