Jeong Seon

Jeong Seon (Korean: ; Hanja: Template:Category handler; 1676 – 20 April 1759)Template:Sfn was a Korean landscape painter, also known by the art names Gyeomjae and Nangok and courtesy name Wonbaek. His works include ink and oriental water paintings, such as Inwangjesaekdo (1751), Geumgang jeondo (1734), and Ingokjeongsa (1742), as well as numerous "true-view" landscape paintings on the subject of Korea and the history of its culture. He is counted among the most famous Korean painters.Template:Sfn The landscape paintings that he produced reflect most of the geographical features of Korea.Template:Sfn His style is realistic rather than abstract.Template:Sfn

Biography

Jeong was born on 16 February 1676, in the Jongno District of Seoul, in the Cheongun-dong neighborhood.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He was the eldest son of Jeong Si-ik (1638–1689), the descendant of an illustrious and gentry familyTemplate:Sfn that originally came from Gwangju. Soon in infancy, he was noted for his artistic talents and is said to have painted daily, with a prolific output until old age. But his family was so poor that he couldn't become a scholar-painterTemplate:Sfn (a yangban painting for leisure). Nevertheless, he was introduced in a circle of powerful neighbors and was, on their recommendation, allowed to work for the Dohwaseo (Joseon Bureau of Paintings) and also created landscapes for patrons and clients.Template:Sfn

In his 36th year (1711), he toured Mt. Geumgang with Pak Tae-yu (1648–1746), the local governor, and produced the 13-paintings Album Pungak Mountain, Sin-myo Year. The next year, another trip to Mt. Geumgang produced the 30 paintings Album Realistic Representations of Sea and Mountains. Both albums were augmented by various poems written by Jeong Seon's protectors.Template:Sfn His self-chosen pen name Gyeomjae (i.e. "humble study") was reflecting this asymmetrical relationship.Template:Sfn

In 1716, in his 41st year, he was granted a tenure of Geomgyosu (兼敎授; professor extraordinary) at Gwansanggam (觀象監; the Office for Observance of Natural Phenomena).Template:Sfn This was taking into account the fact that Jeong Seon was from beginning proficient at Book of Changes(周易) and Astronomy.Template:Sfn But this gave him further impetus... and an official position. He served as district magistrate of Hayang (1721–1726), of Cheongha (c. 1733), and of Yangcheon (1740–1745).Template:Sfn Later in life, he was honored by King Yeongjo, who bestowed on him the official title of the fourth rank in 1754 and the second rank in 1756.

Significance

Jeong is one of the most famous Korean painters.Template:Sfn He inspired other Korean artists to follow suit, leaving a lasting impact on Korean art. He was the most eminent painter in the late Joseon period. Jeong explored the scenic beauty of the capital city of Hanyang (Seoul), the Han River, the Sea of Japan, and the Diamond Mountain. He is the first painter of true-view Korean landscapes. Differing from earlier techniques and traditional Chinese styles, he created a new style of painting depicting the virtues of Korea.Template:Sfn

By the end of the decade, Jeong had developed his own, more realistic style, likely under the influence of the [Silhak] movement. This set him apart from the then-prevailing Chinese literati tradition of idealised and abstract landscape art.Template:Sfn His grandson, Jeong Hwang (鄭榥, 1737–?), displayed the true-view landscape style in addition to genre painting.Template:Sfn

Style

Mangyangjeong

Jeong was one of the few known Korean painters to depart from traditional Chinese styles. It is reported that he frequently left his studio and painted the world around him, as he could see it. His paintings are classified as part of the Southern School, but he developed his own style by realistically portraying natural scenes such as mountains and streams with bold strokes of his brush.Template:Sfn

A major characteristic of his work is intermixed dark and light areas, created by layers of ink wash and lines. His mountains are punctuated by forests, which in turn are lightened by mists and waterfalls. Vegetation is made from dots, a technique that bears the influence of Chinese painter Mi Fei (1052–1107). Jeong's style would influence generations of Korean artists, and become one of the iconic images of Korean nationalism.Template:Sfn

Gallery

#	Title	Hangul	Year	Technique & size HxL	Location	Illustration
1.	Inwangjesaekdo	인왕제색도	1751	ink-and-oil painting 79.2 cm × 138.2 cm	Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art	File:After Rain at Mt. Inwang.jpg
2.	Geumgang jeondo Spring View of Mt. Diamond	금강전도	1734	Ink and oriental water color on paper 130.7 cm × 94.1 cm	Ho-Am Art Museum	File:Geumgangjeondo.jpg
3.	Geumgang jeondo Complete View	금강전도	1750s	color on silk 33.3 x 54.6 cm	Order of St. Benedict Waegwan Abbey	File:Geumgangjeondo-Waegwan Abbey.png
4.	Pungaknaesan chongramdo Autumn View of Mt. Diamond	풍악내산총람도 楓岳內山摠覽圖	1740s	color on silk 100.8×73.8 cm	Gansong Art Museum	File:Jeong Seon-PungakNaesanChongramDo.jpg
5.	Ingok Yugeo Jeon Seon's secluded house below Mt. Inwang	인곡유거도 仁谷幽居圖	1742	ink and slight color on paper 27.5 x 27.3 cm	Gansong Art Museum	File:Jeong Seon-Ingok.yugeodo.jpg
6.	Soyojeong	소요정 逍遙亭	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on silk 130.7 cm × 94.1 cm	Private collection	File:Jeong Seon-Soyo.jeong.jpg
7.	Cheongpunggye	청풍계 淸風溪	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on silk 96.5 x 36.1 cm	Museum of Korea University	File:Jeong Seon-Cheongpung.gye-02.jpg
8.	Bakyeon Fall	박연폭포 朴淵瀑布	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on paper 119.4×51.9 cm	Private collection	File:Jeong Seon-Bakyeon pokpo.jpg
9.	Gwangjin	광진 廣津	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on silk 20 x 31.5 cm	Gansong Art Museum	File:Jeong Seon-Gwangjin.jpg
10.	Jaha-dong a village in Jongno District	자하동 紫霞洞	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on paper 33.7 x 29.5 cm	Gansong Art Museum	File:Jeong Seon-Jaha.dong.jpg
11.	Gaehwasa Temple	개화사	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on paper 31 x 24.8 cm	Gansong Art Museum	File:Gaehwasa temple by Jeong Seon.jpg
12.	Dongjakjin	동작진 銅雀津	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on paper 18.5 x L=27.5  cm	Private collection	File:Gyeomjae - Dongjakjin.jpg
13.	Gwiraejeong	귀래정 歸來亭	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on paper 23 x 25 cm	Private collection	File:Gyeomjae-Yangcheon-Gwiraejeong.jpg
14.	Isujeong	이수정 二水亭	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on silk 23 x 25 cm	Private collection	File:Gyeomjae-Yangcheon-Isujeong.jpg
15.	Dosan Seowon	도산서원도	18th century		Private collection	File:Jeong Seon-Dosan Seowon.jpg
16.	Jukseoru	죽서루	1738	Ink and oriental water color on paper 32.3 x 57.8 cm	Gansong Art Museum	File:Jeong Seon-Jukseoru.jpg
17.	Changuimun	창의문 彰義門	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on paper 29.5 x 33.2 cm	National Museum of Korea	File:Jeong Seon-Chang.eui.mun.jpg
18.	Ingokjeongsa	인곡정사 仁谷精舍	1742	Ink and oriental water color on paper 22.5 x 32.5 cm	Private collection	File:Jeong Seon-Ingok.jeongsa.jpg
19.	Mangyangjeong	망양정	18th century	Ink and oriental water color on paper 32.3 x 57.8 cm	Gansong Art Museum	File:정선 관동명승첩 중 망양정.jpg
20.	Chuil hanmyo 가을날 한가로운 고양이 Leisurely cat on a fall day	추일한묘 秋日閑猫	18th century			File:Jeong Seon-Chuil hanmyo-Free cat on an autumn day-01.jpg
21.	Yuksangmyodo	육상묘도	1739	Ink and oriental water color on silk 146.5 x 63 cm	Private collection	File:육상묘도.jpg
22.	Seonyubong	선유봉 仙遊峰	1740s	cm	collection	File:Gyeomjae-Yangcheon-Seonyubong.jpg
23.	Soakru a pavilion below Mt. Seongsan	소악루 小岳樓		tint on paper cm	Gansong Art Museum	File:소악루(小岳樓).jpg
24.	Pungak Mountain, Sin-myo Year Album on tour with Pak Tae-yu (1648–1746)	辛卯年楓岳圖帖	1711
25.	Realistic Representations of Sea and Mountains (no longer extant)Template:Sfn		1712
26.	Nosong Yeongji	노송영지 老松靈芝	1755

See also

• Korean painting
• List of Korean painters

Sources

English sources

1. Museum
2. the MET
3. MET.
   catalog of the June 5, 1998—Jan. 24, 1999 exhibition. (fully available online as PDF).
4. KAA Template:Webarchive original seems dead
5. Original is largely quicker.
7. Jstor subscription

linked to dbpia

1. • linked at academic.naver
   • Xiaoxiangbajin i.e. Sosangpalgyeongdo is described at Canterbury Thesis
2. • linked at academic.naver
3. • linked at academic.naver
   • linked at KCI
4. • linked at academic.naver

External links

• search Jeong Seon at MET
• Jeong Seon's Place in Korean Art History