Korea & Joseon Dynasty Art
Korea & Joseon Dynasty Art
In 1392 the Goryeo army took control of Korea and established the Joseon Dynasty. This dynasty was organized by Confucious principles and would last over 500 years ending in 1910! During the Joseon Dynasty, Korea saw an advancement in trade, literature, science, and technology. Even today the impact of the Joseon Dynasty can still be seen in Korea.
In this blog I’ve chosen to display three art pieces made by Korean artists of the Joseon Dynasty. Each of these art pieces have been made with the medium of paint and share a glimpse into the everyday life of a Korean person during the Joseon Dynasty.
Ssireum
The painting “Ssireum” or “Wrestling” was painted by artist Kim Hong Do also known as Danwon (1745-1805?). The year that this painting was painted is unknown. But, this certainly doesn’t hinder the traditional wrestling matches that it captures of the late 1700’s and early 1800’s in Korea.
I love all the characters in this painting! You have the concentrated audience, the determined wrestlers, and the toffee vendor selling his goods to the crowd. In the far right you can see where the men took off their shoes before wrestling each other. You can see the hats laid on the ground as the audience sits back and watches the match. Kim Hong Do’s strokes create a very cartoon-like painting, his colors are faded, perhaps from age or perhaps on purpose. But I like it, it makes me feel that I’m reading a story book and am at the climax where the antagonist and protagonist fight head to head. His shapes in this painting are very round and curved, creating a picture that’s soft on the eyes and characters that seem more friendly than intense. Most of all though, I like the history it shows, from the traditional clothing, to the accessories, and hair. To me paintings that document the past and how life was, are priceless.
Mountain Landscape With Waterfall, Village, and Distant Pagoda
This beautiful painting was made in the mid 19th century by artist Cho Chung-Muk (born 1830) also known as Un-kye (ho). Sadly there is not a lot of information saved about this painting done by Cho Chung Muk, not even the mountain and village that it overlooks in Korea is known. But nonetheless, the scenery that he painted is breathtaking. I wish that I could jump into the painting, breathe the fresh air, and hear the water falling. I like the angle of the mountain that he chose to recreate, the slope coming down and the trees almost evenly scattered gives the painting a balanced feeling between all the shapes. I also noticed his use of depth and distance to see the mountain range in the distance, very beautiful. Last but not least, I like the little bit of civilization you can see in this painting. On the left you see the small village and the pagoda in the distance, but if you look closer near the bottom of the painting you can see a tiny fence that walks you to a peaceful bridge by the waterfall and a man on a donkey. This bridge is where I would want to be in this painting. It overlooks the water and you can gaze up at the mountain range all day long.
Lovers Under the Moon
Son of a royal court painter, Sin Yun-Bok (1758-1858) was known for his paintings featuring daily life, animals, and landscapes in the Joseon days of Korea. Sin Yun-Bok’s painting Lovers Under the Moon, like the past two paintings above, doesn't have an exact date of when it was created. Besides the fact that it was made in Sin Yun-Bok’s lifetime, the date of this piece remains a mystery.
When I first caught eyes with this painting I was hooked. From the moon with its faint glow in the background to the lovers walking through the night together. Again much like Ssireum, I am excited to see the traditional clothing. I love the way Sin Yun-Bok paints the cape and the many strings and bows around the couple's attire. I love the colors and the way that the couple’s skin matches the background, it evens out the painting very nicely. I like his use of angles for the building and wall. It adds another level of romanticism with the couple being around the corner. My favorite part of this painting is the posture that he gives the lovers, the way that Sin Yun-Bok has them walking yet at the same time facing each other is wonderful. I love the way they are looking at each other and the movement yet stillness of the whole piece. This piece made me sigh as one does after reading a pleasant love story.
Together these three pieces painted in Korea’s era of the Joseon Dynasty made me feel as if I was able to taste a sliver of this time period and what it had to offer. One day I would love to see these pieces in person and explore Korea in this time period. But, for now I am content and excited to experience the moments and stories that Kim Hong-Do, Cho Chung-Muk, and Sin Yun-Bok have to share.
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Hi Gracie. I love the pieces you chose as examples of Korean and Joseon Dynasty art. It was interesting to learn about this type of art because I've always been drawn to it and own a couple pieces of Korean art but didn't know much about their history. I have always enjoyed the light, calming colors of these works of art. I think it allows figures and objects to really stand out, especially when they are outlined in black.
ReplyDeleteI love the soft simplicity of the pieces of this era. There are harsher lines visible, however it all blends in together nicely. I think it is interesting how the human built structures stand out with the harsher lines and the landscape much more seamless.
ReplyDeleteEach of these works is so peaceful and gentle. Each of your articulations and responses to each piece was beautifully written. I wonder what type of paint they used for each of these works to create such a light and airy tone. Overall, I appreciated learning more about Korean culture through art, thank you!!
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