Accession Number
2021/1.164

Title
Map of Gangwon-do Province

Artist(s)
Korean

Artist Nationality
Korean (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
19th century

Medium & Support
woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
10 9/16 x 12 9/16 in. (26.7 x 31.8 cm)

Credit Line
Gift and partial purchase from Bruce and Inta Hasenkamp, purchase with funds from Elder and Mrs Sang-Yong Nam

Label copy
Map of Gangwon-do Province
Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)
19th century
Woodblock print on paper
Gift of Bruce and Inta Hasenkamp and Museum purchase
made possible by Elder and Mrs. Sang-Yong Nam, UA2004.74

The nineteenth century saw a marked increase in the
production of maps showing Korea and its eight provinces
as part of the larger geographic area. This map depicts the
province of Gangwan-do, showing the administrative offices
(gwan) and administrative units (ju) of the Yeongdong and
Yeongseo regions on the northeastern coast of the Korean
peninsula. Blue cartouches indicate administrative units
in Yeongdong and red cartouches those in Yeongseo. The
provincial capital of Wonju is marked with a red and yellow
cartouche and surrounded by a crenulated line. The map
also records the names of mountains; the most prominent
is Geumgangsan, which featured prominently in literature
and the visual arts throughout the Joseon dynasty. The only
structure depicted is the prominent Buddhist temple of
Naksansa, overlooking the East Sea. The inclusion of these sites
suggests a desire to highlight the region’s cultural aspects as
well as its administrative areas.

Subject matter
In the Gangwon-do Province's Yeongdong region, the twenty-six gwan, or adminstrative offices, are labeled in red cartouches, while the nine ju, or administrative units, which are govered by the gwan are labeled with blue cartouches. The names of outlying ju are written in parentheses with yellow backgrounds near the frame edge. Rivers and the East Sea are labeled, and the Geumgangsan Mountain is highly emphasized. Two islands are shown in the East Sea; the island on the left is not labeled but the one on the right is labeled Ulleung-do.

Physical Description
A woodcut print map depicting the province of Gangwon-do. Various offices and units are parked with red and blue rectangular cartouches. There is also writing along the entire map border, and to the right of the print are names written in yellow boxes. Rivers and the sea are depicted in light blue while the mountains and typically generic three-peak formations. One mountain in particular stands out due to its height and detail near the upper right side of the map.

This woodcut print map depicts the province of Gangwon-do, with twenty-six gwan (官; administrative offices) governing nine ju (州; administrative units) in the Yeongdong region (嶺東; the part of Gangwon-do that lies to the east of Daegwallyeong Pass) and seventeen ju in the Yeongseo region (嶺西; the part of the province to the west of the pass) in the nineteenth century. The names of the nine j u in the Yeongdong region are handwritten in ink in blue rectangular cartouches while those of the seventeen in the Yeongseo region are labeled using red rectangular cartouches. The names of outlying ju are written in parentheses with yellow backgrounds in the frame at the edge of the map. Rivers and the East Sea are rendered in light blue while mountains are generally depicted in a threepeak formation with Geumgangsan Mountain heavily emphasized. Two islands are shown in the East Sea; the island on the left is not labeled while that on the right is labeled “Ulleung-do (鬱陵島).” The overall condition and colors of this map are excellent despite the ink stains on some parts.

[Korean Collection, University of Michigan Museum of Art (2017), 233]

Primary Object Classification
Print

Primary Object Type
color print

Additional Object Classification(s)
Print

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Chosen (ancient)
location maps
regional maps
woodcuts (prints)