Kim Hongdo Work Returned from Japan Unveiled for the First Time... Seoul Auction's "Return" Special Sale

"195th Art Auction by Seoul Auction on the 22nd: 101 Lots Worth 8.5 Billion Won"

Four Repatriated Cultural Heritage Pieces, Including "Baeksenoduta" Believed to Be Owned by Arasuke Sone

Park Soo-keun’s 1960 "Street" and Kim Gu's Calligraph

Four pieces of cultural heritage, including a work by Danwon Kim Hongdo that was taken to Japan and has now returned to its home country, will be unveiled for the first time through an auction.

Danwon Kim Hongdo, "Baeksenoduta (Centenarian Elder Monk)." This work depicts a monk who has cast off worldly desires and devotes himself to spiritual practice, accompanied by a young attendant following by his side. It is presumed to have been a possession of Arasuke Sone, who served as the Korean Resident-General during the late Korean Empire. Seoul Auction

Seoul Auction announced on September 10 that it will hold its 195th art auction at 4 p.m. on September 22 at the Seoul Auction Gangnam Center. A total of 101 lots will be presented, including 72 works of modern and contemporary art, 28 works of classical art, and one luxury item. The total estimated value at the lowest range is about 8.5 billion won.

This auction will feature a special section titled "Return–Recovered Cultural Heritage." Four pieces returning from Japan to Korea will be exhibited for the first time: Danwon Kim Hongdo's "Baeksenoduta (Centenarian Elder Monk)," Jeongjae Oh Ilyeong's "Pungnim Jeonggeodo," Seokpa Lee Ha-eung's "Gwaeseok Mukrando," and Unmi Min Youngik's "Mukrando."

Kim Hongdo's "Baeksenoduta" depicts a monk who has cast off worldly desires to devote himself to spiritual practice, accompanied by a young attendant. It is presumed to have been owned by Arasuke Sone, who served as Resident-General of Korea following Ito Hirobumi during the late Korean Empire. The accompanying scroll containing photos of his cavalry and text by Seokun Kwon Dongsu provides evidence for this provenance. The estimated price is between 30 million and 60 million won.

Park Soo-keun, "Street," 1960. This work depicts a woman carrying a bundle on her head and children, and was long owned by Professor Hugh Cohen of the University of Michigan, USA. Seoul Auction

In the modern and contemporary art section, Park Soo-keun's 1960 work "Street" will be presented. This piece, depicting a woman carrying a bundle on her head and children, was created during the maturity of Park's signature thick matiére style. It was purchased during an East Asian trip in the 1960s–1970s by Professor Hugh Cohen, who laid the groundwork for film studies at the University of Michigan, USA, and was long held in his collection. The estimate is available upon request.

Park Seo-bo's 2005 work "Ecriture No.050319" will also be included. This red-hued "Color Ecriture," approximately size 200, has an estimated price of 600 million to 800 million won. Along with this, works by key Dansaekhwa artists, such as Lee Ufan's 2008 "Dialogue," Chung Sanghwa, Lee Bae, and Ha Chonghyun, will also be featured.

A 1994 "Pumpkin" by the late Yayoi Kusama, who passed away last month, will also appear. This is the first canvas original from her pumpkin series to be offered at a domestic auction since her passing, and it carries an estimated price of 800 million to 950 million won.

Kim Gu, ‘Heonsinjoguk (헌신조국)’, 1949. This phrase means ‘to dedicate oneself to the motherland’ and is a calligraphy work left by Kim Gu at the last New Year's Day of his life. Seoul Auction

In the classical art section, highlights include "Gang Sang Jo Eo Do" by Gyeomjae Jeong Seon, a handwritten letter by Dasan Jeong Yak-yong, and a complete set of 48 volumes in 16 books of "Mokminsimseo." The "Mokminsimseo" is a copy bearing the collector’s seal of Baek Duyong, who operated the Hannam Seolim antiquarian bookstore in the late Joseon era.

Kim Gu’s "Heonsinjoguk (헌신조국)," written on the first day of the lunar New Year in 1949, is also looking for a new owner. The four characters, meaning "to dedicate oneself to the motherland," formed a calligraphy piece Kim left about five months before his death in June of the same year. The expected price is between 17 million and 40 million won.

The auction pieces will be on free public display from September 11 to 22 on the 5th and 6th floors of Seoul Auction Gangnam Center.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.