Three Giants of Joseon Art
Jeong Seon, Kim Hong-do, and Shin Yun-bok are among the most representative painters of Korea’s Joseon period, a 500 year dynasty which lasted from 1392-1897. These artists’ works reflect the customs, landscapes, and spirit of Joseon, marking an important era of Korean painting history. Their works are fundamental to Korean traditional painting, serving as its roots, core, and fruition.
Whether to classify the works of these artists as Minhwa (folk paintings) or Muninhwa (literati paintings) such as genre paintings is a subject of debate. All three artists were at some point part of the Dohwaseo, the Royal Academy of Painting, however at least one was ousted from the prestigious organization due to the highly scandalous subject matter that he painted.
Artists and scholars often went by a secondary name in the Joseon era. Let’s take a look at each of these artists:
- Shin Yun-bok: Hyewon
- Kim Hong-do: Danwon
- Jeong Seon: Gyeomjae
1. Hyewon: Shin Yun-bok (蕙園 申潤福, 1758 ~ 1814)
Shin Yun-bok, known as Hyewon, was one of the top genre painters of the late Joseon Dynasty. He was a court painter in the Dohwaseo alongside Kim Hong-do (Danwon) and Kim Deuk-sin, but there are records that he was expelled from the Dohwaseo for painting excessively vulgar subjects. His genre paintings include highly explicit works, usually showing young scholars and noblemen enjoying themselves with kisaeng, professional female entertainers.
With his daring use of women and their lovers as subject matter, Shin vividly depicted the hidden passions and sensual aspects of his era. Shin also excelled at landscapes in the literati style with depictions of birds and animals and calligraphy. He seemed to enjoy depicting the vivid lives of commoners in markets, brothels, and taverns.
His erotic paintings were a bold, yet silent protest against the rigid Confucian society of Joseon, expressing a strong desire for individual freedom and personal rebellion. Despite the strong Confucian moral standards of the time, Shin Yun-bok daringly satirized the nobility, boldly signing his real name and seal on his works.
He employed delicate and flowing brushstrokes with beautiful coloring, giving his genre paintings a sophisticated sense and atmosphere. In his portraits, he meticulously depicted details down to each strand of hair. Additionally, he used pigments imported through Chinese and Western traders, incorporating a variety of colors such as red, blue, and yellow into his paintings. He is remembered as one of the first Korean artists to use such a diverse palette.
Portrait of a Beauty (미인도)
The elaborate gache (wig) worn by the woman in the painting indicates her status as a kisaeng. In the Joseon Dynasty, kisaeng were usually slaves belonging to the government, with their status inherited matrilineally. They were managed and educated by the Gyobangcheong (a government office), and those skilled in literature, arts, and entertainment who could charm men were particularly popular.
Though they were of low social class, the kisaeng held a unique role in ancient Korea’s society, and were respected for their career as educated artists and writers. For this reason, they were sometimes spoken of as “possessing the body of the lower class but the mind of the aristocrat”. Their duties sometimes included providing sexual services to men if they were of a lower rank.
What was Shin Yun-bok attempting to depict? Did he simply want to paint a beautiful kisaeng? In the painting, the woman is shown untying her garment with one hand while holding a norigae (traditional Korean ornament) in the other. Her socked foot is visible outside her skirt.
Poem Inscription:
“Casting off clothes for freedom and a heart full of spring flowers,
The brush can even capture the essence of truth.”
“Scenery on Dano Day” ( 端午風情)
This painting is included in Shin Yun-bok’s “Album of Hyewon” (혜원전신첩), which consists of 30 genre paintings. Dano is one of Korea’s traditional holidays, celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. In ancient times, it was believed that when two odd numbers overlapped, it was an auspicious day. This period also marked the end of sowing season for farmers and was a day to pray for a good harvest. During Dano, women would wash their hair in water infused with sweet flag (changpo), swing on swings, or play on see-saws, while men engaged in activities like wrestling and archery.
In the painting, all the women are wearing gache, indicating they are courtesans. Shin Yun-bok frequently depicted courtesans in his works. These women are shown bathing in a secluded valley, with young monks hiding behind rocks, watching the scene with amusement. Shin Yun-bok’s perspective is remarkably candid and unguarded, presenting a raw and unfiltered view.
Through his explicit erotic paintings, Shin Yun-bok may have been challenging the rigid Confucian moral codes and societal norms of his time, using humor and satire to reflect on the hidden face of an era shrouded in propriety and decorum.
2. Danwon: Kim Hong-do (檀園 金弘道) 1745 ~ 1806
Another master of genre painting in the late Joseon Dynasty, Kim Hong-do, also known as Danwon, excelled in various artistic genres, including landscape painting, paintings of historical figures, Daoist paintings, bird-and-flower paintings, and Buddhist paintings. Although he was an official court painter, he also accepted private commissions from high-ranking officials and created paintings for the common people, which have received significant attention.
Kim Hong-do’s genre paintings vividly capture the emotions of his characters, naturally integrating them with their surroundings. In his famous painting “Wrestling,” the facial expressions and gestures of the wrestlers clearly depict the struggle and outcome of the match. One can see the wrestler’s distressed face and his desperate grip on his opponent’s clothing, making it evident who is winning and losing.
Originally, this painting was part of an album containing 25 genre scenes. Kim Hong-do’s works include depictions of dancing boys, wells, village schools, laundry places, meal breaks, harvesting, weaving mats, and tile-making. These scenes reflect the everyday lives of the common people with a humorous touch, showcasing his ability to immerse himself in their world and capture it vividly.
Songha Maenghodo (松下猛虎圖)
There is a theory that this painting is a collaboration between Kim Hong-do and his mentor, Kang Se-hwang. The detailed depiction of each strand of the tiger’s fur reflects the realistic approach that was popular in 18th-century Joseon art. Traditionally, tigers were believed to ward off evil spirits and misfortune (벽사, 辟邪). As a symbol of protection, tiger images were commonly placed on gates or exchanged at the New Year alongside dragon images to repel bad luck.
In traditional Korean painting, tigers and pine trees frequently appear together. By the late Joseon period, this motif often included magpies, giving rise to a popular folk painting genre known as “Jakho-do” (Magpie and Tiger painting). This genre gained widespread popularity, symbolizing the dispelling of bad fortune and the announcement of good news.
Danwondo (檀園圖)
Kim Hong-do’s “Danwondo” captures the melancholic twists and turns of life. As one of the most celebrated painters in the Dohwaseo, he was praised as a “painting sage” and was mentored by Kang Se-hwang, receiving patronage from King Jeongjo. In 1781, the year depicted in the painting, Kim Hong-do created his second portrait of the king and was rewarded with a sixth-rank official position. At that time, he was accompanied by two friends: Jeong Ran and Kang Hee-eon (1738-1784). Kang Hee-eon, from a middle-class family, was an official in the Office of Astronomy (Gwansanggam) responsible for observing celestial phenomena. Jeong Ran was a poet and traveler who enjoyed the company of literati and artists. It seemed to be a good time for them.
On a warm spring day in April 1781, Kim Hong-do, Jeong Ran, and Kang Hee-eon held a modest gathering at Kim Hong-do’s house, “Danwon.” In the painting, Kim Hong-do is playing the geomungo (a traditional Korean zither), Kang Hee-eon is listening while fanning himself, and Jeong Ran is seated beside him, reciting poetry in rhythm with the music.
This painting was created three years later, in December 1784, when the fruits of the juniper trees had already ripened. By then, much had changed in their lives. Kim Hong-do had been appointed to a low-ranking position as a district magistrate (chalbang), but he lived in poverty. Sadly, Kang Hee-eon had passed away, and Jeong Ran, whom Kim Hong-do met by chance, had grown old with white hair due to life’s hardships.
Reflecting on the time they spent together three years earlier, Kim Hong-do painted “Danwondo” as a gift for Jeong Ran.
Here is the full inscription:
“Master Changhae (Jeong Ran) ascended Mount Baekdu in the north and traveled to the border, then visited my humble home in Danwon (Kim Hong-do’s house) from Mount Geumgang in the east. It was the Qinghua Festival (April 1) in the year of Sinchuk (1781). The trees in the yard basked in the warm sunlight on this spring day. I played the geomungo, and Damjol Kang Hee-eon offered drinks, while Master Changhae presided over the gathering. Thus, we had a genuine and unpretentious meeting. Five years have passed, and Kang Hee-eon is now one of the departed. Autumn’s juniper berries have already ripened. I, in my poverty, could not manage my household and stayed in Sannam, where I ate and slept in a post station while serving as a minor official. Suddenly, I met Master Changhae again, whose beard, eyebrows, and hair had turned white like clouds, yet his vigor had not diminished with age. He said that this spring, he would head towards Hallasan on Jeju Island, which is truly remarkable. For five days and nights, we drank and talked freely, reminiscing about our past gatherings in Danwon. The sorrowful feelings followed afterward, so I painted this picture (Danwondo) as a gift for Master Changhae. The painting captures the scene from that time, and the two quatrains on top were composed by the Master on that day. Painted by Danwon’s master, Kim Hong-do, on the second day after the start of spring in the year of Gapjin (1784).”
3. Gyeomjae: Jeong Seon (1676 ~ 1759)
Early Joseon landscape paintings were influenced by Chinese Southern and Northern schools, often characterized by an idealistic, unrealistic, and dreamlike quality. However, from the mid-Joseon period onwards, Jeong Seon’s perspective introduced a new approach that combined a realistic viewpoint with metaphysical truth, resulting in what can be termed the “true-view landscape” (Jingyeong Sansu).
This concept of “Jingyeong” transcended mere landscape painting, evolving into the broader notion of the “Jingyeong era,” which represented the Joseon Dynasty’s Sinocentric ideology over a span of 125 years, from King Sukjong to King Jeongjo. The influence of Jeong Seon’s true-view perspective can be seen in the landscapes of Kim Hong-do and many other Joseon painters.
Geumgangjeondo (金剛山圖)
Considered the pinnacle of true-view landscape painting (Jingyeong Sansuhwa), “Geumgangjeondo” (金剛山圖) is based on actual sketches of Mount Geumgang. The painting arranges rocky and earthen mountains in a Taiji (Yin-Yang) formation, capturing the entirety of Mount Geumgang in a single composition through a bird’s-eye perspective.
While it incorporates realistic expressions akin to actual landscapes, it also reveals an idealized world that cannot be seen in reality.
This painting, along with Jeong Seon’s “Inwang Jeseakdo,” is designated as a National Treasure of South Korea. It captures the entire landscape of Mount Geumgang in a single composition. It is considered a foundational work of Korean landscape painting. The use of a special technique, where the brush is applied vertically, showcases Jeong Seon’s unique style.
The painting invites viewers to imagine walking along the depicted paths, entering the embrace of Mount Geumgang. The poem inscribed in the upper margin of the painting serves as the title and enhances its contemplative nature:
“Mount Geumgang with its twelve thousand peaks, who can capture its true form? The fragrance rises beyond the East Sea, and accumulated energy permeates the world. A few lotus flowers reveal their pure beauty, and temples are hidden in the pine and nutmeg forests. Though I may journey to see it now, it cannot compare to hanging it on the wall and viewing it to my heart’s content.”
Suseongdong (水聲洞)
Considered the pinnacle of true-view landscape painting (Jingyeong Sansuhwa), “Geumgangjeondo” (金剛山圖) is based on actual sketches of Mount Geumgang. The painting arranges rocky and earthen mountains in a Taiji (Yin-Yang) formation, capturing the entirety of Mount Geumgang in a single composition through a bird’s-eye perspective.
While it incorporates realistic expressions akin to actual landscapes, it also reveals an idealized world that cannot be seen in reality.
If you walk about 10 minutes from Hyoja-dong next to Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, you will reach Ogin-dong. Today, this area is bustling, located in the heart of Seoul, but during the Joseon Dynasty, when Jeong Seon lived here, it was likely a quiet mountain village. It was a place where scholars from Hanyang (the old name for Seoul) would go for outings.
The bridge that the scholars are crossing in the painting is mentioned in historical records from the Joseon Dynasty: “At the foot of Inwang Mountain, there is a stream flowing and a scenic spot with rocks, where there is a bridge called Girin-gyo.” This bridge is known as Girin-gyo.
Is it still there today? Records from the 1950s confirm the bridge’s existence. However, around the 1970s, Ok-in Apartments were built in this area, and the bridge was forgotten. The traces of this long-lost bridge unexpectedly resurfaced in 2007 during an investigation of the Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House) surroundings conducted by the Presidential Security Service.
Though it remained in a dilapidated state, discovering that the bridge still stood in its original place evoked a deep sense of emotion. In a way, it felt like a form of compensation for the bridge’s endurance. In 2015, the Seoul Metropolitan Government demolished the apartments in this area and restored the bridge to its original appearance.
Walking tour of Suseong Valley to see the famous bridge: