The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) has announced it will host the first US exhibition of masterpieces from the collection of former Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-Hee this fall. Titled 'Korean Treasures', the show will feature over 200 items spanning 1,500 years, including a dozen National Treasures designated by the Korean government, many exhibited in the US for the first time. Co-organized with the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Museum of Korea, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Korea, the exhibition includes ancient Buddhist sculptures, ceramics, paintings, furnishings, and modern works. Highlights include Jeong Seon’s 'Clearing after Rain on Mount Inwang' (1751) and a 1459 woodblock-print book compiled by King Sejo. Nine items from the Leeum Museum of Art will be shown exclusively at the NMAA before the exhibition travels to Chicago and the British Museum.
This exhibition matters because it represents the largest and most comprehensive presentation of Korean art ever held at the NMAA, introducing a world-class private collection to American audiences for the first time. The show underscores the growing global interest in Korean art and culture, particularly within the Korean American community, and highlights the historical significance of works like the true-view landscape painting by Jeong Seon and early examples of Hangul, the Korean alphabet. By partnering with major institutions in the US, Korea, and the UK, the exhibition also demonstrates the diplomatic and cultural power of art collections in fostering international dialogue.