In studying dance history of Korea, diverse patterns of dance are discovered in murals, historical remains, and royal rites. Then, how should dances contained in visual materials be understood? This study aims to examine the method of analyzing dance depicted in paintings to research the history of dance. To that end, Panofsky’s iconological method, used in researching the history of fine art, was used to examine dances depicted in murals. Research was conducted in the following procedure. First, the concept and principle of iconology, focused on the historical background of iconography and iconology, were reviewed, and recent iconological arguments were examined. Second, how to apply the iconological method to dance was discussed. Third, through Panofsky’s iconological gradual analysis method, the iconography of the right-hand mural in Goguryeo Jangcheon No. 1 Tomb’s Anterior Chamber was described and analyzed to define its meaning. The findings of this study are outlined as follows. According to previous iconological description, the iconography of dance depicted in the right-hand mural in Jangcheon No. 1 Tomb’s Anterior Chamber features a Goguryeo person performing both-arm dance and lotus dance to the accompaniment of a string instrument. According to the iconological analysis, the dancer performs Buddhist-faith funeral dance. Such ritual dance contains the cult of wishing the dead person’s soul will well reach the nether world, as well as the wish that the dead person will lead a happy life in the nether world. According to the iconological interpretation, Goguryeo sleeve dance changed and developed into today’s Hansam, Jangsam and other diverse sleeve dances. Goguryeo dance contains the essential life meaning, and although the themes and concepts of dance may vary according to times and works, all dances are the expression of life and the heart of wishing for a good life; thus, the life, the essence of Goguryeo, was analyzed as the universal essence and inherent meaning of Korean dance. This study is significant in that it prepared a framework to research dances depicted in paintings, and proved that iconology can contribute to diverse analyses in researching the history of dance. Iconological research on dances illustrated in visual materials is expected to continue.

The purpose of this study is to consider implicit meanings with Panofsky’s iconographical methods. This research further seeks to objectively organize and understand a new dancer’s, (Kim Baek-Bong) intention to produce meanings and details in “Flow of Line.” Based on references, this study captured images necessary for an iconographical analysis of “Kim Baek-Bong’s Dance Performance” (on Nov. 29, 1989 at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts) and “New Dance, the Triple Layer Dance Scenes” (on March 25, 2013 at Yeak-dang of National Gugak Center). The researcher then drew the image of the line produced as the group danced in order to study the composition of Kim Baek-Bong’s “Flow of Line.” Analysis revealed that the group dance movements, formed by the dancers’ movements, was set to the ‘line’. This study also included an interview with Kim Baek-Bong, the choreographer of “Flow of Line” in order to understand the time setting and conditions of dance communities at the time of creation for “Flow of Line.” The ‘pre-iconographical description’ of “Flow of Line” was divided into the factual meanings and the expressional meanings. The former were the proscenium stage (stage), 16 female dancers (dancers), Kim Yoon Deok style Kayageum Sanjo music (music), unique movements of upper and lower body parts (movement), and white skirts and jackets (costume). The latter included a total of 41 compositions: 3 compositions from Jungmori beat, 23 compositions from Jungjungmori beat, and 15 compositions from Danmori beat. As mentioned above, in the 41 compositions, the iconographical analysis indicated that the united image was derived from sources of snow crystals, water drops, whirlpools, water drop wavelengths, moving waves, and waterfalls. They also showed images of tree rings, the sun and moon, flowers, ridges, whirlpools, silk threads from cocoons, water drop wavelengths, and other natural elements. This iconological analysis was divided into the original meanings of a nature-friendly world of art as well as circular images and the symbolic values of white-clad people and Korea’s ethnicity and unity. Thus, “Flow of Line” is the work with elegance, beauty, and contemplation about life resulting from Kim Baek-Bong’s love for nature. He created the circular images, yet Kim Baek-Bong’s “Flow of Line” is also meaningful to dance history as a new type of group dance combining Western dance styles and Korean traditional dance styles.