A painting replicating the mural that once hung in Gyeongbokgung's Gyotaejeon, a space for the queen of Joseon, will be temporarily unveiled. The reproduction was sponsored by the Italian luxury brand Gucci, attracting attention.
The Cultural Heritage Administration's Gungneung Heritage Headquarters announced on the 18th that they have completed the reproduction of the mural from Gyeongbokgung's Gyotaejeon and it will be unveiled from the 19th to the 30th.
A bubyeokhwa (付壁畵) is a mural attached to a wall after being painted on silk or paper.
According to the records of the Japanese general government museum, two bubyeokhwa, including the hwajodo (花鳥圖) and wonhupandodo (猿猴蟠桃圖), were on the walls of Gyotaejeon, the queen's bedchamber (a palace with a sleeping chamber) in Gyeongbokgung. Hwajodo depicted the affectionate image of a pair of parrots, while wonhupandodo portrayed the harmonious scene of baby monkeys gathered around a mother monkey.
These paintings are presumed to have been transferred to the Japanese general government museum when Gyotaejeon was demolished to restore damage from a fire that occurred at Changdeokgung in 1917. The original pieces are currently held at the National Museum of Korea.
The reproduction being unveiled is an exact replica of the original artwork. Based on scientific investigation and analysis of the original, appropriate paper and pigments were chosen, and a replication artisan participated in rendering it as identically as possible in its current state.
Considering that Gyotaejeon is not yet fully restored in its original state, the reproduction is displayed in a detachable panel format. It is attached to panels made of pine and paulownia trees and installed to face each other on the upper sections of the walls on both sides of Gyotaejeon's daecheong.
To showcase the reproduction, the Cultural Heritage Administration will temporarily open Gyotaejeon's daecheong, which is usually not accessible to the public. During the exhibition period, except for Gyeongbokgung Palace’s closing day on the 24th, visitors can view the bubyeokhwa reproduction from noon to 4 p.m. daily without requiring a separate reservation.
The production of the reproduction was sponsored by the Italian luxury brand Gucci. Following a fashion show held at Gyeongbokgung last May, Gucci entered into a social contribution agreement with the Cultural Heritage Administration for the preservation, management, and utilization of cultural heritage.