Igwangsa Pil Seogyeol

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1969

Category

Books & Records

Era

1764년(영조 40)

Designated year

2018

Location

성북구, 서울특별시— 서울특별시 성북구 성북로 102-11 (성북동, 간송미술관)

Coordinates

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The Calligraphy Guidebook by Yi Gwang-sa is a manuscript of the first part of the Calligraphy Guidebook (Seogyeol) written by Yi Gwang-sa (1705-1777), one of the greatest calligraphers of the late Joseon period. The book consists of three sections subtitled Heaven (Geon), Earth (Gon) and Appendix (Bu), and contains a letter in the Earth section which the author wrote to his eldest son, Yi Geung-ik (1736-1806), on June 1, 1764. The first part of the guidebook, which is focused on basic calligraphy techniques, shows that the author was not only a master calligrapher but also a great theoretician and critic. The book is now regarded as a rare book of theory on East Asian calligraphy and a crucial part of the primary sources required for study of the calligraphy theories taught in the Joseon period. The book is also regarded as a treasury of the calligraphic art of Yi Gwang-sa, particularly for the fine harmony between different scripts, ranging from regular to cursive scripts, and occupies a prominent place in the history of the calligraphy of eighteenth-century Joseon.