Baecheop

Baecheop (Hangul: 배첩) is the Korean art of preserving scrolls of brushed calligraphy or paintings by applying a silk or paper mounting.^[1] Craftsmen who specialise in this process are known as baecheopjang (Hangul: 배첩장), one of whom, Kim Pyo-young, is an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Korea.^[2]

The techniques used originated in China, but is recorded in Korea as early as the Goguryeo period.^[3] Baecheop was widely used in the Joseon period for processing the artworks held in royal collections.^[1]

The glue used is a paste of flour and water which is fermented over as long as a decade. The hanji used must be carefully selected, as some papers contain chemicals which can, over time, cause damage to the original artwork.^[2] Mountings can take the form of scrolls, folding screens, processed documents, covered bindings or framed art.^[3][1]

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