National Museum of Korea Unveils Representative Works of Late Joseon Court Painters Kim Hong-do and Lee In-mun

Exhibition Change at Seohwa Room... 30 Paintings and 50 Calligraphy Works
Kim Hongdo's 'Seowon Ajipdo' and Lee Inmun's 'Gangsang Mujindo' Featured

The National Museum of Korea's Calligraphy and Painting Gallery will newly showcase representative works by Kim Hong-do and Lee In-mun, prominent painters of the late Joseon period.

Kim Hong-do 'Seowonajipdo'
[Photo by National Museum of Korea]

On the 19th, the National Museum of Korea announced that through the exhibition change in the Calligraphy and Painting Gallery in August, 30 pieces of paintings and calligraphy from the Joseon Dynasty, totaling 50 items, will be newly exhibited.

Among the works revealed in this exhibition is Kim Hong-do's 'Seowon Ajipdo,' painted in 1784 when he was 34 years old, which was designated as a national treasure in April. The painting depicts a gathering where Wang Seon (王詵), the son-in-law of Emperor Shenzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, invited 15 literati and ink painters including Su Shi (蘇軾). 'Seowon Ajip' refers to a commemorative gathering where outstanding literati came together. It has been loved as a subject of writing and painting for a long time thereafter.

Notably, Kim Hong-do's work faithfully reproduces the content of 'Seowon Ajipdogi' (西園雅集圖記), written by Mi Fu (米?), a painter of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Kim Hong-do's Seowon Ajipdo is regarded as a masterpiece that demonstrates his skill with a harmonious composition, distinct personalities of figures, and dynamic brushstrokes.

On the upper part of the 5th and 6th panels, there is a colophon written by Kang Se-hwang (姜世晃). Kang Se-hwang praised this painting as superior to the 'Seowon Ajipdo' by Ming Dynasty painter Qiu Ying (仇英), and said it rivaled the original work by Northern Song painter Li Gonglin (李公麟) with divine brushwork.

Lee In-mun's 'Gangsan Mujindo'
[Photo by National Museum of Korea]

Lee In-mun's 'Gangsan Mujindo' is a horizontal scroll measuring 8.5 meters, depicting the endless grandeur of nature and the life unfolding within it. The scene of calm water surfaces, steep cliffs, and mountains forming a harmonious landscape seems to portray the cycles of nature and the vicissitudes of the world.

Lee In-mun, who painted people, their houses, villages, markets, castles, pavilions, and temples with meticulous brushwork, captured daily life within majestic nature. Rather than depicting actual locations, this painting can be seen as an idealized vision of Joseon-era people's utopia.

In this exhibition, the entire scroll will be fully unfurled and displayed.

Byun Sang-byeok_Cat and Sparrow.
[Photo provided by the National Museum of Korea]

Five works including Jang Seung-eop's 'Washing a Horse,' donated by the late Son Chang-geun, and Sim Sa-jeong's 'Boat Ride in a Storm' will also be exhibited. In 2018, Son Chang-geun donated 304 cultural assets of national treasure and treasure status, including Chusa Kim Jeong-hui's 'Sehando,' to the National Museum of Korea.

Visitors can also see Byeon Sang-byeok's 'Cat and Sparrow,' famous for cat paintings. Additionally, 'Flowers and Birds,' painted in 1948 by six artists including Lee Sang-beom and Choi Woo-seok, will be publicly exhibited for the first time. This work well represents the tradition of ink wash painting after liberation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.