1910 - Joseon Customs Yangban - The Upper Class of Turbulent Joseon - Figure Portrait Life Culture

Product Description

1910 - Joseon Customs Yangban - Upper Class of Turbulent Joseon - Portrait and Lifestyle Culture Joseon Customs Series published by the 《Gyeongseong Ilil Sinmun (京城日日新聞) 》 during the late Korean Empire/early Japanese Colonial Period — 「Yangban (兩班)」 Original Real Photo Postcard Publisher: Gyeongseong Ilil Sinmunsa (京城日日新聞社) Estimated Era of Publication: Late 1900s to early 1910s (Late Korean Empire to early Japanese Colonial Period) Specifications: Standard postal postcard size (approx. 9 × 14 cm) Condition: Preserved Top-tier Condition (A+ Grade). Extreme clarity of the printed image, perfect preservation of the seal and postal format on the back, and corners maintaining a natural sense of age. Detailed Analysis and Historical Background This artifact is an authentic original real photo postcard capturing the portraits and lifestyle culture of the 'Yangban (兩班),' the upper class of Joseon during the turbulent early 20th century. The front of the postcard features a full-body portrait of a Yangban figure sitting upright, dressed neatly in a dopo and wearing a gat. The delicate bead-like texture of the gat string, the sharp facial features and gaze of the individual, the texture of the beard, the exquisite shape of the hands, and even the silk texture of the dopo hem are preserved with extreme clarity, defying the passage of nearly 120 years. Behind the figure, a folding screen decorated with plum blossoms and birds is positioned. The resolution is high enough to clearly identify the hwaje (畵題) inscription written vertically on the right side of the screen and the seal through magnification. This is a precious visual resource that goes beyond a simple staged photograph, testifying to both the studio photography environment of the time and the unique Joseon culture of arranging calligraphy and paintings. At the bottom front, the Hanja characters 「兩班」 (Yangban) and 「(朝鮮風俗)」 (Joseon Customs) are exquisitely printed on the right, indicating that this is a representative work from the Joseon customs planned photography series that was commonly published at the time. The Hanja phrase 「京城日日新聞之發行」 (Published by Gyeongseong Ilil Sinmun) is clearly imprinted. Three Key Value Points of the Artifact 1. Top-tier quality postcard 2. Irrefutable primary source for costume history, lifestyle history, and visual culture history. It serves as a standard reference for complete historical verification of the attire worn by the Joseon Yangban class in the early 1900s, including the shape of the gat, the gat strings (made of hair, jade, stone, etc.), the stitching structure and collar finish of the dopo, and the wearing of beoseon and shoes. 3. Highest value for archiving and exhibition. It possesses the condition and rarity to be displayed as a main artifact in special exhibitions of the Korean Empire/Japanese Colonial Period at museums and art galleries, special exhibitions on modern photographic history, or premium collections of modern Korean history. This is a 'historical time capsule' that perfectly preserves the reality of the Joseon Yangban, who stood at the tumultuous historical juncture of the end of the Korean Empire and the transition to modernity, along with a clear source: 《Gyeongseong Ilil Sinmunsa》.

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