In celebration of the upcoming 2002 World Cup soccer finals co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum will hold an exhibition titled "Masterpieces of Korean Art from the Joseon Dynasty" from Feb. 19. The exhibition consists of 300 works of art of the Joseon, or Yi, Dynasty (1392-1910) including paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, costumes, jewelry -- and especially furniture.

Most of the extant furniture from this period dates to the late Yi Dynasty (19th and early 20th centuries). Praised by collectors, this furniture is often referred to as richo-kagu in Japanese. The pieces on display, borrowed from the National Museum of Korea and set up as re-constructed Yi Dynasty rooms, include typical uppe-class men's and women's quarters of this period. The living quarters of Yi Dynasty men and women were kept separate, as the adoption of neoConfucianism as a state ideology resulted in rigid gender separation in Korean society. The furniture of the time reflects the prevailing aesthetic values, with men preferring simple furniture and women coveting highly embellished pieces.

The women's private room, called anbang in Korean, was the center of the house and also served as the master bedroom at night. It contained the most luxurious pieces of furniture in the home, typically decorated with metal fittings or inlaid mother-of-pearl. The exhibition showcases one elaborate example: a 19th-century bi-level black lacquer wardrobe inlaid with mother-of-pearl.