Peonies symbolizing wealth and honor, pine trees expressing wishes for longevity, lotus blossoms representing prosperity, orchids and plum blossoms evoking nobility and the ideal spirit of the scholar — all auspicious meanings are brought together in a single ornamental floral pot.
When King Gojong sought to strengthen ties with France in 1888, among the treasures he dispatched to French President Marie Francois Sadi Carnot was a pair of “banhwa,” elaborate ornaments fashioned as flowering plants and trees using precious stones, metals and other precious materials.
More than decorative objects, the jeweled arrangements carried layers of symbolic meaning.
“Banwha is more than a craft object or a diplomatic gift,” a Korea Heritage Service official said during a press preview on Tuesday. “It is a cultural heritage object that embodies Joseon’s craftsmanship and determination to seek a new path through diplomacy during a period of profound upheaval.”
The official noted that the gift also reflected Joseon’s sense of urgency as it sought to navigate mounting pressure from foreign powers through diplomacy. The flowers and motifs woven into the pair of banhwa conveyed blessings for the recipient nation while also expressing a hope that good fortune would once again return to Joseon during a time of uncertainty.
The official added that the banhwa sent to France remains the only known diplomatic gift in this elaborate ornamental plant format. In April, President Lee Jae Myung presented French President Emmanuel Macron with a contemporary “140th Banhwa,” inspired by the original gift.
A special exhibition, “Banhwa: Blossoms of Auspicious Wishes,” opened Wednesday at Dondeokjeon Hall in Deoksugung as the companion exhibition to the National Palace Museum of Korea’s “Gifts and Records: 140 Years of Korea-France Friendship.”
The original banhwa pair remains in the collection of the Guimet Museum in Paris. Although organizers sought to bring the originals to Korea for the exhibition, concerns about their fragile condition and vulnerability to damage during transport prevented the loan.
Instead, the Korea Heritage Service commissioned Kim Young-hee, a holder of National Intangible Cultural Heritage status for jade craftsmanship, to produce a reproduction.
Detailed surveys of the originals were conducted, along with research into historical production methods. Traditional materials and techniques were then employed to recreate the objects as faithfully as possible.
Kim recalled being struck by the sophistication of the original work when he first encountered it.
“Although the luster of some of the jade had faded over time, the curves of the petals, the veins of the leaves and the balance between naturalism and structure still revealed the remarkable skill of the craftsmen,” Kim said in the exhibition catalogue.
“The work brought together expertise in jade carving, metalworking and woodworking. As I completed each component, it felt as though I could sense the breath of the Joseon artisans who created the original 140 years ago.”
The exhibition also explores the auspicious floral motifs that permeated the decorative arts of the Joseon royal court. Folding screens, ceramics, paintings and other objects illustrate how flowers and trees served as visual expressions of prosperity, longevity and good fortune.
hwangdh@heraldcorp.com
