In this dissertation, the writer attempted to discuss the various meanings and the developmental process of the plastic beauty in the metal decoration designs of the home-furnitures used by all the strata of the society in the Yungnam districts toward...
In this dissertation, the writer attempted to discuss the various meanings and the developmental process of the plastic beauty in the metal decoration designs of the home-furnitures used by all the strata of the society in the Yungnam districts towards the end of the Rhee Dynasty. In order to carry out this study, the writer tried to collect the various kinds of metal designs, classify them according to the way they are used.
The origin of our country's decorational design dates far back to the earthenware designs in the neolithic era. Moreover, the arigin can be traced back to the designs inscribed on the various types of the earthenware, metalware in the era when the metal was being used together with the stone. The typical kinds of the decorational designs can be found among the pictures on the walls, the various relics unearthened from the old tombs of the Unified Silla Dynasty, the various types of designs of the Korea Dynasty's world-famous porcelains, the various crockeries of the Rhee Dynasty respectively.
The metal decoration designs to be dealt wit in this dissertation, the writer believes, has been developed out of our country's time-honured traditional culture and are still being used wen today.
We can classify the above-mentioned designs into two ways: in terms of their meanings and their use.
The classification of designs according to their symbolizing meaning involves three kinds: The first one of these is called Chinese character designs which represent an auspitious sign in our daily life such as wealth, nobleness, muchness, male, long-lif, happiness.
The second one is an animal designs such as a butterfly, crane, sparrow, crucian carp, Chinese phoenix, dragon, deer, etc that represent an alive, realistic auspicious sign.
The last one involves the Buddhist designs such as a lotus blossom and a plum tree, a chrysanthemum that symbolize purity, candor. This one belongs to the plant designs.
On the other hand, the classification of designs according to the use involves various types. These are-used for several purposes: Some of them is used to keep the inner parts of the furniture solid and strong as well as to add up the sense of beauty to the furnitures. Others are used to attach the accompanying doors to the body of the furniturs as well as to make the drawer knob co nspicuous.
As we discussed earlier, the decorational designs, in the sense of practicality, function as a means to keep the fuinitures solid and strong. In addition, they might be useful, in the sense of outer appearance, in making the watchers always feel the sense of beauty and auspiious sign
However, the kinds and the ways of expressing the plastic beauty various according to the provinces and ages where and when they were made. These differencs are attributed to the fact that our ancestors often tried to produce variant sthrough adding up different types to the typical one or through extending them using the typical on as a model.
The characteristics of the metal decoration designs is that on the wooden decorations, various types of animal designs such as the Ten Longest Life Animals are frequently inscribed, while the metal decoration designs are in contrast withthem. In the case of the latter, the designs depict mainly the animals that fly over in the sky such as the butterfly, bat, Chinese phoenix, pigeon, sparrow etc. These are in combinational use use with the Buddhist designs such as the lotus blossom.
In closing this summary, the writer wishes to admit that the lack of sincerity and informations available on the part of the writer prevented the writer from attaining the originally intended purpose set up in the introductory chapter,
However, the writer believes this dissertation will find its precious meaning in the fact that the writer collected and synthesized various kinds of metal decoration designs used in th Yungnam districts and uncovered the kinds, characteristics and the symbolized meanings of them throgh this endeavor.
Any recommendation or advice of the readers would be highly appreciated.