The Emergence of Geumgangsan’s Visual Culture and Landscape Painting in the 1910s

Mount Kumgang (Geumgangsan), a revered Buddhist and natural landscape, underwent a transformation in the 1910s under Japanese colonial rule, emerging as a global tourist destination and subject of modern visual culture. This shift was driven by imperial propaganda and colonial development efforts, with Geumgangsan's imagery spreading through mass media such as postcards, lantern slides, motion pictures, and panoramas. Japanese artists framed the mountain’s scenic qualities using 'Eastern' aesthetics, while Korean painters blended traditional Geumgangsan-do styles with modern techniques. By the early 1920s, Kim Ye-sik introduced a hyperrealist style influenced by photographic painting, marking a significant evolution in Geumgangsan's visual representation that merged Japanese modernity with Korea’s artistic traditions.

Hong, S. (2025). The Emergence of Geumgangsan’s Visual Culture and Landscape Painting in the 1910s. Art History Forum, 60, 65–106. https://doi.org/10.14380/ahf.2024.60.65