한국의 근대는 그 시기의 의미를 사적으로 규정하는 어려움이 있다. 하지만 미술교육사에 있어서는 시대적 상황을 고려하여 개화기(1880-1910)를 한국 근대교육의 설정 시기로 볼 수 있다. 따라서 이 시기를 근대 기점으로 하여 연구하는 것은 역사적으로 나 미술교육사적으로 큰 무리가 없다고 본다. 한국 근대 미술교육은 대부분 일제강점기라는 시대적, 정치적 상황을 배제할 수 없는 시기의 교육으로 제반 교육정책이 일제의 간섭 하에서 학부 또는 조선총독부와 문부성1)이 정한 학교교육제도와 교과 설정, 그리고 교과서 편찬으로 이루어졌기 때문에 교육 내용은 물론 교과서 선택도 자유로울 수 없었다. 그래서 지금까지의 한국 근대 미술교육에 관한 연구나 견해를 보면, 대체로 시대적 측면만을 크게 부각시키거나 보편적이고 단편적인 이해와 지식으로 일제식 또는 기능주의적이라고 부정적 측면을 들추어 왔다. 그러나 우리나라 미술 교과가 지닌 과거, 현재, 미래로 일관하는 본질적인 접근을 새로이 할 필요가 있다.
The object of this thesis is to first understand how modern Korean elementary art education has changed in its form and substance, how much importance it held within the education system at that time and with what purpose and content the text book was written in. As the subject of this thesis is dealing with the course of change and development of art education in school, I can add this thesis is about the history of school art education. I have set the scope of this study from 1895, when the foundation of Korean art education, as part of a school education, was established, to 1945, the end of Japanese colonial rule. The first era (1895-1910) was the age of introducing modern education to Korea. I analysed the art education system for elementary school and our country's first art text book, which were brought by the promulgation of “So Hak Kyo” ordinance(1895-1905) and “Bo Tong Hak Kyo” ordinance(普通學校令) (1906-1910). The second era (1911-1921) was the age of establishing modern education. For this period, I analyzed the art education system and art text books made by the first Chosun Education ordinance. The third era (1922-1938) was the age of maintaining guidance system. Here I analysed the art education system and text books changed by the revised Chosun Education ordinance. The fourth era (1938- 1941) was the age of Japanese colonialization art education. Here I examined the art education system and text books of that time after the revision in the third Chosun Education ordinance. The fifth era (1941-1945) was the period of uniting arts and crafts. I analysed the art education system and text books changed by the promulgation of the fourth Chosun Education ordinance and the “Kook Min Hak Kyo(國民學校)” ordinance. After considering all the factors, we can see that modern Korean elementary art education has developed accordingly to the change of the country's policy, by making revised art education system and text books, satisfying the demands of that