Exhibition: Korea, the Kingdom of Scholars, at the Cernuschi Museum
CERNUSCHI MUSEUM
From November 20, 2026 to April 4, 2027
Korea, the realm of scholars: the Cernuschi Museum recreates the world of the yangban, the learned elite who governed the Kingdom of Joseon for five centuries. Paris hadn't seen such a panorama in a long time.
An 18th-century Korean scholar lived surrounded by symbols. The screen that closed off his room, the ceramic piece on the chest, the light wood furniture, the map hanging on the wall: everything spoke of his place in the world.
They were called the yangban, the learned elite of the Kingdom of Joseon10, for five centuries. Trained in the Chinese classics, having passed examinations of legendary difficulty, they controlled the administration, thought, and taste, and passed the position down from father to son. The exhibition follows them in their daily lives as well as their court rituals, through paintings, costumes, ceramics, furniture, and documents.
The partnership with the Korea University Museum provides the essential elements: a broad overview of the artistic production of the Chosŏn period, punctuated by masterpieces rarely seen outside Seoul. Among them is Chǒng Sǒn's *The Valley of Cool Breezes*, ink and colors on silk, where the Korean landscape ceases to imitate Chinese models and becomes its own. The exhibition is part of the 140th anniversary of relations between France and Korea. A diplomatic pretext, a genuine occasion.
The Cernuschi Museum thus continues its exploration of Asian art, following the works of Shin Sung Hy. Also featured in our list of the week's top new releases.
CERNUSCHI MUSEUM
7 avenue Vélasquez, 75008 Paris – Metro: Villiers (Lines 2, 3)
From November 20, 2026 to April 4, 2027
Every day except Monday, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Admission: €10 - Reduced rate: €8 - Free for under 18s
