Hyonjeong Kim Han

This important book examines the history, process and significance of official portrait making during Korea's Joseon dynasty (1392-1910)-the country's last and longest-ruling Confucian dynasty. By highlighting significant pieces in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's collection, including draft portraits of Bunmu meritorious officials and the portrait of Song Siyeol (1607-1689), it also discusses the complex philosophies and delicate techniques in the art of portrait making. With more than 95 photos and illustrations, Likeness and Legacy in Korean Portraiture is the ultimate guide to this specialized art form and its history. The inclusion of contemporary works that are related to or inspired by the portrait-making tradition will demonstrate to readers that this practice is still thriving in the modern art scene. See the Likeness and Legacy in Korean Portraiture exhibit at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: April 10 - August 16, 2020.

Couture Korea highlights traditional ways of dressing and shows how contemporary haute couture is rooted in Korean tradition. Through garments including baeja (woman's vest), po (man's outerwear), and baegilbok (child's costume for the 100th-day celebration), this Korean fashion book explores how each gender dresses during different seasons, on special occasions, and according to social status. Interviews with contemporary fashion designers Jin Teok and Karl Lagerfeld and historians Minjee Kim and Cho Hyo Sook examine how historical and modern clothing design reinvigorates Korean cultural identity.