An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Seven Jeweled Mountainlate 1800s
With a bird’s-eye view, this ten-panel folding screen portrays the famous Seven Jeweled Mountain 칠보산 in North Korea. Ancient volcanic eruptions shaped the mountain’s unique and awe-inspiring terrain such as phallic-shaped pillars (panel #5, from the right); a large flat-topped, steep-sided cliff (panels #7 and #8), and a rugged mountain composed of metamorphic and igneous rocks (panels #9 and #10). The tradition of landscape painting that details actual natural sites and captures their topographic features in Korea began in the 1700s and continued onward. <br><br>While such natural wonders were beloved as popular destinations for tourism and pilgrimage, after the Korean War (1950–53), these sites in North Korea are no longer accessible to the outside world. This folding screen detailing the mountain’s distinctive topography feeds our imagination and longing for such an unattainable place.
Featuring a spectacular panoramic view and topographical details, this ten-panel folding screen is an excellent 19th-century version of the Korean “true-view” landscape painting tradition.
ten-panel screen; ink and color on silk
Overall: 185.2 x 42.9 cm (72 15/16 x 16 7/8 in.); Each screen: 158.2 x 42.9 cm (62 5/16 x 16 7/8 in.)
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
High above, where the clouds stretch and dance, a stunning ten-panel folding screen reveals the majestic Seven Jeweled Mountain, known as 칠보산, cradled in the heart of North Korea. Each panel, like a window to another world, showcases the mountain’s dramatic features—an artist’s tribute to nature's raw beauty and history.
The landscape whispers tales of ancient volcanic eruptions, the earth’s powerful forces shaping the terrain into striking forms. In panel five, a series of phallic-shaped pillars rise like sentinels, reaching towards the heavenly dome above. Further along, panels seven and eight depict a grand, flat-topped cliff, its steep sides standing resolute against the kiss of time. And in the farthest corners, panels nine and ten reveal layers of geological wonders, where metamorphic and igneous rocks weave a tapestry of resilience and strength.
Landscape painting in Korea, an art form that blossomed in the 1700s, sought to capture the essence of these natural wonders—drawing the observer into their beauty, while providing a glimpse of the delicate details that grace the earth. For generations, these sites have been cherished as sacred destinations, beckoning pilgrims and wanderers alike. Yet, like dreams placed just out of reach, the allure of these landscapes shifted dramatically after the Korean War between 1950 and 1953. Today, they lie veiled from the outside world, cloaked in mystery and longing.
This ten-panel masterpiece breathes life into our imaginations, evoking a longing for a place that we can only dream of visiting. The Seven Jeweled Mountain stands as a testament to both nature's grandeur and the shadows of history, a reminder of beauty that is forever just beyond our grasp.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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