DistantNews
Support us
🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

175-year-old Korean wine bottle gifted to French diplomat returns for exhibition

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A Joseon-era ceramic wine bottle, gifted to a French diplomat in 1851, is returning to South Korea for the first time for a special exhibition.
  • The bottle was received by French diplomat Charles de Montigny when he rescued sailors from a shipwrecked French whaling ship, the Narval, off the coast of South Korea.
  • The exhibition, marking 140 years of diplomatic ties between Korea and France, features historical artifacts and gifts exchanged between the two nations over more than 170 years.

A significant artifact from Korea's past, a Joseon Dynasty ceramic wine bottle, is making its first return to South Korea after 175 years for a special exhibition. This historical piece was originally gifted to French diplomat Charles de Montigny in 1851 when he facilitated the rescue of sailors from the French whaling ship Narval, which had run aground off the coast of Bigeumdo Island in Jeolla Province.

The Narval ran aground on the coast of Bigeumdo Island, Jeolla Province, on April 2, 1851. The 20-odd sailors who disembarked in haste were soon discovered and transported ashore under the responsibility of the Naju governor.

— Article TextDescribing the shipwreck incident that led to the interaction.

The Narval's crew of over 20 were rescued and treated warmly by Joseon officials. Montigny, alerted to the shipwreck from other stranded sailors in China, traveled to the site. Through gestures and communication, he negotiated the sailors' return to Macau. During this process, exchanges of hospitality, including shared rice wine and champagne, reportedly took place between the Korean officials and French sailors, leading to the gift of the distinctive, wide-waisted ceramic bottle to Montigny.

Montigny negotiated with officials using gestures and body language, and after successfully escorting the sailors, returned to Macau.

— Article TextDetailing the diplomatic efforts and return of the sailors.

This early peaceful interaction predates more commonly known historical events like the 1866 French invasion of Ganghwa Island or the establishment of formal diplomatic relations in 1886. The exhibition, titled 'Gifts and Records, 140 Years of Korea-France Friendship,' commemorates the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties. It showcases original documents of the 1886 treaty, gifts exchanged between leaders like King Gojong and President Sadi Carnot, and correspondence spanning over 170 years of bilateral exchange, offering a comprehensive look at the enduring relationship between the two countries.

As a result of this exchange, Montigny received a wide-waisted ceramic bottle as a gift from the Joseon people, which is now part of the collection at the Sèvres Museum in France.

— Article TextExplaining the origin of the ceramic bottle and its current location.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog