Abstract

Yi Do-young’s Seokgulsuseo, which was exhibited at the First Joseon Art Exhibition in 1922, was the first historical painting to depict the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Silla. In the 1920s, spurred on by the discovery of golden artifacts in tomb excavations, renewed interest in Silla as a “glorious ancient dynasty” emerged. At the same time, Japanese historical scholarship portrayed Silla as the dynasty that completed the historical orthodoxy of Joseon. The perception of Silla’s ancient history, which was established during the Japanese occupation, persisted with minimal change after liberation. Amid escalating tensions between North and South Korea, Syngman Rhee’s government invoked Silla’s “Hwarang spirit” to promote ideals of patriotism and martialism. During the Korean War, Gyeongju was promoted as a tourist destination to earn foreign exchange, while many artists found inspiration in the preserved archetypes of national culture. Initiated in 1967, the National Documentary Painting Project, aimed to depict representative historical achievements and national heroes. The reunification of the two Koreas emerged as a central issue following the July 4, 1972, North-South Joint Statement. Consequently, the Park Chung-hee government portrayed the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Silla as a seminal event in Korean history, with Kim Yoosin as the hero who led the unification. With the completion of Tongiljeon in 1977, under President Park Chung-hee’s leadership, a historical site was created to commemorate the protagonists of unification, and documentary paintings served as educational tools for the formation of national identity.