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Wonsam (wedding robe)

Photo: National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea

Wonsam (wedding robe)

late 19th century

This brightly colored robe is one of the multiple layers of a Korean woman’s wonsam (traditional wedding dress). The stripes in vivid colors—red, pink, green, and blue—adorn the sleeves. Wonsam used to be a ceremonial robe for upper-class women, and the back panel was usually longer than the front, as seen in this dress. Wonsam continue to be worn in traditional weddings, and their use has expanded to include those not in the upper class.
Silk gauze and silk plain weave: patched and stitched
60 x 68 x 48 in. (152.4 x 172.7 x 121.9cm)
Gift of Frank S. Bayley III
92.145
Photo: National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea
location
Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing [on view July 16 - Dec. 5, 2021].
Published References"Korean Art Collection in the Seattle Art Museum, U.S.A." Tajaon Kwangyaoksi: Kungnip Munhwaja Yaonguso, 2015, pg. 151-52.

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