Traditional Painting: A Window on the Korean Mind

KOREA ESSENTIALS No. 2

Traditional Painting

2010 Series

Korea’s Unique Alphabet

Traditional Painting Window on the Korean Mind

The DMZ Dividing the Two Koreas

Traditional Food

K

orean painting reveals a connectivity with nature that parallels the Korean traditional world view.

Living in a dramatic landscape of rugged peaks, deep valleys and broad rivers, Koreans have long held nature in deep reverence. This respect, this yearning for nature, is immediately apparent in Korean paintings, whose aesthetic is likened to an “artless art” of gentle lines, generous shapes, and naturalistic colors. Beauty is found in the big picture rather than the details; paintings exhibit a naturalness that moves the viewer with its humility.

Many Korean paintings were painted not by artists, but by ordinary nobles and even commoners. For the people of old Korea, painting was often a part of life, a way to express their inner spirit. Perhaps it is this that makes Korean painting so approachable, so human.

Window on the Korean Mind

Hangeul

Window on the Korean Mind

About the series The Korea Essentials series is a cooperative project between the Korea Foundation and Seoul Selection aimed at furnishing an international reader with insight and basic understanding into the arts and culture of Korea.

The content of this series is based on the material published in Koreana, the Korea Foundation’s full-color quarterly featuring in-depth coverage of various aspects of Korea’s cultural themes.

A Taste of Korean Life 9,000 won / US$ 15.00

ISBN 978-89-91913-74-5 ISBN 978-89-91913-70-7 (set)

KOREA ESSENTIALS

* Titles are subject to change.

COVER PICTURE Dano, Sin Yun-bok, 18th C, Gansong Museum COVER DESIGN Jung Hyun-young, Kim Young-ju

korea essentials No. 2

Traditional Painting Window on the Korean Mind Copyright Š 2010 by The Korea Foundation All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

First Published in 2010 by Seoul Selection B1 Korean Publishers Association Bldg., 105-2 Sagan-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-190, Korea Phone: (82-2) 734-9567 Fax: (82-2) 734-9562 Email: publisher@seoulselection.com Website: www.seoulselection.com ISBN: 978-89-91913-74-5 ISBN: 978-89-91913-70-7

04080 (set)

Printed in the Republic of Korea

Traditional Painting Window on the Korean Mind

Contents

Introduction 6 A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words 8 Chapter 1

Korea’s Painting Tradition 12 Artless Art: The Korean Aesthetic Four Representative Genres Chapter 2

Paintings in History 20 Early Artistic Traditions in Korea The Three Kingdoms The Goryeo Period The Joseon Period A Difficult Period for Traditional Painting Chapter 3

Buddhist Painting 40 Themes and Styles Characteristics of Goryeo Buddhist Paintings Chapter 4

A Scholar’s Art 52 The late Joseon Period / Leading artists Joseon’s Final Years / Leading artists Chapter 5

Records of Nature 64 Realistic Landscape Painting Leading artists

Chapter 6

Scenes of Everyday Life 76 Joseon Era Genre Painting Leading Artists Chapter 7

Faces from the Past, Portrait Paintings 88 Portraits of Kings / Portraits of Meritorious Subjects Portraits of Elderly officials / Portraits of the literati Portraits of Women / Portraits of Buddhist Monks Soul Lurk in the Eyes Chapter 8

Forklore Painting 104 Common Elements Paintings for Functions

Appendix

The Painter’s Tool 120 Information on Traditional Paintings 122 Delving Deeper • The Five Colors 16 • A Depiction of Life in the Grave 25 • Comparative Timeline of Korean & Western Painting 38 • Themes of Buddhist Painting 44 • The Socio-political function of Buddhism in Korea 50 • What is the Difference between the Northern and Southern Schools? 55 • Why the Mt. Geumgangsan? 70 • The Socio-Political function of Confucianism 86 • Performing the Function of Photography 101

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Introduction

The Korean painting tradition is about more than pretty images.

Through the diverse forms of Korean painting, we can experience the world of Koreans of ages past, both as it was and as they wished it to be. It is a magical trip into the culture and world view that continue to impact the way Koreans think and believe to this day.

Over centuries, Korean artists have produced a body of work that, while sharing commonalities with the paintings of neighboring countries, is still distinctly Korean. In their work, Korean artists expressed a uniquely Korean view of the world, even while absorbing influences from abroad. Genre paintings of the Joseon era documented—and sometimes lampooned—the daily practices and customs of Koreans of the period, while landscapes depicted legendary Korean scenic spots, complete with indigenous plants and animals. Folk paintings, meanwhile, encapsulated the unique worldview of old Korea’s common people.

Korean painting also reveals a connectivity with nature that parallels the Korean traditional world view. Living in a dramatic landscape of rugged peaks, deep valleys and broad rivers, Koreans have long held nature in deep reverence. This respect, this yearning for nature is immediately apparent in Korean paintings, whose aesthetic is likened to an “artless art” of gentle lines, generous shapes and naturalistic colors. Beauty is found in the big picture rather than the details; paintings exhibit a naturalness that moves the viewer with its humility.

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Like the painting traditions of the West, Korean traditional painting takes many forms and genres. Korean landscape paintings—known as sansuhwa (“Painting of Mountains and Water”)—are perhaps the best known, and feature idealized landscapes and, later, Korean scenic spots. While formalized, the manner in which artists expressed these landscapes revealed much about the artists themselves. Genre paintings, meanwhile, take a frank look at daily life of both nobles and commoners in Joseon-era Korea. Folk paintings reflect the commonly held beliefs and hopes of Joseon’s commoners, while Buddhist paintings offer insight into the history, theology and metaphysics of Korean Buddhism.

It should also be noted that while professional artists did exist, many works were painted not by artists, but by ordinary nobles and even commoners. For the people of old Korea, painting was often a part of life, a way to express their inner spirit. Perhaps it is this that makes Korean painting so approachable, so human.

This work explores a variety of aspects of Korean painting in its many wondrous forms, including Goryeo-era Buddhist paintings, Joseon-era landscapes and genre paintings, and folk paintings. We hope that through this work, the reader will be able to develop a better understanding and appreciation for the beauty, symbolism and significance of Korea’s painting tradition. We also hope that it serves as a starting point for exploration of the world of Korean painting and, with this in mind, we’ve included a list of museums both in Korea and abroad where you can experience first hand the art’s sublime charms.

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12 Traditional Painting

Chapter One

KoREA’S PAINTINg TRADITIoN

K

orean traditional painting falls within the scope of Eastern painting; accordingly, it makes use of India ink and rice paper, like the paintings of neighboring China and Japan. The most distinctive characteristic of Korean painting, however, is that it aesthetically values lines and blank space, while images are expressed using the light and shade of the ink. Moreover, Korean painting depicts objects as metaphorical ink runs rather than realistic and revealing shapes. Accordingly, what you see in a Korean painting can depend on your viewpoint. Korean paintings are psychological and symbolic compared to the paintings of other East Asian nations. Of course, materials, tools, and subjects are important factors in Korean painting, but more important than anything else is the spirit contained in each painting. Additionally, it has been said by scholars that Korea’s aesthetic sense is one that strives for an “artless art,” one that looks for beauty in the “big

Korea’s Painting Tradition 13

picture� rather than the details. It values freedom and generosity.

Others have noted that Korean art is predicated on naturalism— depicting things as they are without artifice. Korean art expresses humanity within an ordinariness that allows anybody to appreciate the work.

Artless Art: The Korean Aesthetic gentle Lines and Diverse Shapes The Korean aesthetic can be found in lines and shapes that are as close to nature as possible. Korea has an older topography, characterized by gentle lines and diverse shapes. However, as we can also find grand peaks like those of Mt. Jirisan and powerful lines like those of Mt. Seoraksan, the general gentleness of the natural landscape harmonizes with explosions of power. Within this natural environment, the Korean people developed a gentle and warm disposition; accordingly, in the Korean arts scenes are expressed in gentle lines and generous shapes, even when done with a certain power.

Pine and Cypresses in Winter (Kim Jeong-hui, 1844, private collection)

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The Five Colors Since ancient times, the Korean traditional color scheme was inspired by the concept of eumyang-ohaeng (yin and yang, and the five elements). This color scheme presents a belief that the world originated from two forces, yin and yang, and that these forces created the five elements, or ohaeng: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Based on ohaeng, the basic, traditional Korean colors are the obang colors, literally meaning “the five directions of color.�

The five directions are center, north, south, east, and west, and five colors are assigned to these directions, namely yellow (center), blue (east), white (west), red (south), and black (north).

Obang colors are closely related to Koreans’ daily lives. The color red is believed to drive away bad luck and harm. A bride on her wedding day wears rouge on her cheeks. The idea of ohaeng in wishing good health and long life can also be seen in the rainbow-colored hanbok that children wear on their first birthdays and during holidays. The bright and colorful obang colors were often used in the daily traditional necessities. Obang colors are seen not simply as colors, but as tokens to wish good fortune and to drive out evil spirits.

A Korean traditional wedding scene. Koreans traditionally wear clothes in the five obang colors at weddings in order to bring the bride and groom good fortune.

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The eumyang-ohhaeng theory assigns the following meanings to the obang colors: yELLoW symbolizes the earth, which corresponds to the center of the universe. Yellow was mostly used on kings’ clothes because it was considered one of the noblest colors.

BLuE, which means both wood and east, symbolizes the spring, when everything comes alive. It signifies creation and life and is used when wishing for good luck.

WHITE is the symbol of metal, fall, and the west.

RED stands for fervor, affection, fire, and blood. It is the color that exorcises evil spirits.

BLACK, which represents water and the north, controls human wisdom.

North

BLACK water

West

WHITE metal

YELLOW earth

Center

RED fire

South

BLUE wood

East

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Four Representative Genres Broadly speaking, Korean traditional paintings can be divided into four genres.

Landscapes (see chapter 5) Called sansuhwa (“paintings of mountains and water”) in Korean, landscapes were an important part of the Korean painter’s repertoire.

In the Confucian tradition, Korean artists initially took their cues from China, painting the beautiful—if not terribly realistic—scenes of mountains and rivers favored by the Chinese masters. Later in the Joseon era, painters would switch to painting Korean scenes, with some artists even venturing out to find particularly beautiful locations to paint.

genre Paintings (see chapter 6) These are possibly the most uniquely Korean paintings, depicting the lives of ordinary Koreans. These paintings can be quite frank, earthy, and even erotic. Unlike landscape paintings, which tend to

Landscape (Sim Sa-jeong, National Museum of Korea) (left) A Washing Place (Kim Hong-do, National Museum of Korea) (right)

Korea’s Painting Tradition 19

be restrained and monochromatic, these paintings tend to be rendered in vivid colors. Genre paintings offer precious insights into the culture of the Joseon era.

Portraits (see chapter 7) Portraits—and even self-portraits—were a common form of painting during the Joseon era. Subjects were usually kings, meritorious subjects, officials, aristocrats, and Buddhist monks.

Folk Paintings (see chapter 8) Unlike the other genres of painting, which were typically painted for the royal court or aristocrats by professional artists or by literati themselves, folk paintings were painted for ordinary people by artists who were rarely named. These were painted largely at the end of the Joseon era and are subdivided into several genres of their own. They are usually quite colorful and, compared to the more professional genres, can seem quite crude. However, they reflect the simple faith and optimism of the Korean people.

Portrait of Yi Jae (1803, National Museum of Korea) (left) Hwajodo (Gyeonggi Provincial Museum) (right)

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Chapter Two

PAINTINgS IN HISToRy

I

n culture, as in fine arts, tradition is not simply a legacy from the past. The richer and greater a tradition from the past is, and the better it is understood and upheld by its inheritors, the greater chance it has of developing into a more advanced culture.

Conversely, if a tradition is weak and neither well understood nor well utilized, there is less chance for cultural development. By its very nature, tradition brings consistency to the culture of a particular group and makes it distinct from other groups. Korean culture thus has attributes and traditional characteristics of its own.

Here we will review the mainstream of Korean traditional painting and appraise the role of tradition in modern painting. By traditional painting, we do not simply mean Korean painting or Koreanized painting but also the paintings of ancient times as opposed to modern painting.

Paintings in History 21

Early Artistic Traditions in Korea Korean painting has developed steadily throughout its long history from the Three Kingdoms period (1st century BC-AD 7th century) to modern times, in spite of frequent political crises and invasions.

Absorbing foreign influences—Chinese in particular—on a selective basis, Korean painting has developed its own independent styles and, to a great extent, has influenced the development of Japanese painting. Through frequent and active contact with foreign arts and artists, Korean artists cultivated their own painting styles distinct from those of other countries. At once characteristically Korean and internationally universal, the Korean painting tradition has contributed considerably to the artistic development of surrounding nations.

Korean painting, like Korean architecture, sculpture, and handicrafts, represents a pattern of cultural achievement typical of the creative vigor and aesthetic sense of the Korean people.

Hunting Scene in the Tomb of the Dancers. This spirited style originated in the early days of the Goguryeo kingdom and became firmly established in the later period. (Jillin Province, China)

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40 Traditional Painting

Chapter Three

BuDDHIST PAINTINg

T

he Buddhist paintings of the Goryeo period (918-1392) were recognized as masterpieces throughout contemporary East Asia thanks to their brilliant colors, elegant forms, rich ornamentation, lucid brushwork, and religious symbolism. Fortunately, many of these works survive today. More than 100 scrolls and murals have been located both in Korea and abroad (the great majority are in Japan), and even more paintings are likely to be discovered in the future in Korea and Japan.

An understanding of the changing themes and stylistic characteristics of Goryeo Buddhist paintings is vital to grasping Korean art history as a whole. At the same time, such an understanding also helps deepen our knowledge of Buddhist art in other Asian countries during this period, especially China. Through these religious paintings, we can also look into the general cultural life of the Korean people during the medieval period, when Buddhism flourished as the state religion for four centuries.

Buddhist Painting 41

Themes and Styles G ory e o B u d d h is t p a in tin g s a r e d istinguis he d by s e ve r al characteristics. First, they could be called “aristocratic paintings� since they were painted to suit the tastes of the aristocratic class.

The royal and noble households of Goryeo patronized Buddhism, and their wealthy members sponsored the production of many ritual paintings of outstanding quality. Naturally, these paintings reflected the luxurious tastes of their benefactors, who in the early days of the dynasty were usually local gentry, but who later included aristocrats in the capital who rushed to support pious projects.

The paintings were often produced as a gesture to pray for peace in the kingdom and prosperity for the royal household. As time passed, h o w e v e r, m o r e p a i n t i n g s w e r e executed to invoke the well-being and power of the individual benefactors and their families.

This trend grew in importance during the latter half of the Goryeo period, particularly under the de facto government of the military.

Amitabha Triad.

Numerous pictures of Amitabha were produced under the patronage of the royal and aristocratic families, who wished to perpetuate their power and wealth forever.

(14th C, Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art)

44

Themes of Buddhist Painting The themes of Buddhist painting tended to differ depending on the demands of the times.

Amitabuljonsangdo Amitabha is a buddha who lives in the Western Paradise, a place of beauty without compare in this world, absent of pain and replete with pleasure. He guarantees eternal life and hope to sentient beings and helps those virtuous individuals who truly wish for Nirvana to reach Nirvana in paradise.

Suwolgwaneumdo Between the principles of seeking truth above and delivering the sentient beings below, Avalokitesvara is the embodiment of mercy who provides salvation to sentient beings.

Goryeo renderings of Avalokitesvara are so outstanding that one could say the true beauty and grace of Buddhist painting lie therein.

Jijangbosaldo Ksitigarbha is a bodhisattva who offers succor for the sins of the dead, guiding those sentient beings suffering the torments of hell on the path toward the comfort of paradise or emancipation.

The Mural in Bongam Temple, Mungyeong

Buddhist Painting 45

most popular paintings during these years.

Third, numerous pictures of Amitabha (Amitabul, the Buddha of the Western Paradise), Avalokitesvara, and Tsitigarbha (Jijang, the Ruler of the Underworld) with the Ten judges of Hell (Siwang) were produced under the patronage of the royal and aristocratic families, who wished to perpetuate their power and wealth forever, both in this world and beyond. These pictures had been popular icons among Korean Buddhists since the Unified Silla period (7th-early 10th centuries) but had never been so widely distributed.

The Goryeo Amitabha paintings portrayed a variety of images: a single deity seated upon an elaborate architectonic throne, a triad of standing or seated deities, or Amitabha seated on a throne with his two attendant bodhisattvas standing on either side. One prominent piece from this genre is a hanging scroll portraying Amitabha accompanied by his two main attendants, Avalokitesvara and Mahathana (Taeseji), representing the principle of mercy and the conceptualization of power, respectively. The painting was enshrined at Paeguriam Hermitage on Mt. Powol.

Also worthy of note are a portrait of Amitabha dedicated to Prince Sohyeon (1612-1645), a picture of Amitabha with eight bodhisattvas at Sujeongam Hermitage on Mt. Odaesan, and a depiction of Avalokitesvara in a white robe housed at Gukjeongsa Temple.

Other popular types of Buddhist paintings from this period include: naeyeongdo, showing Amitabha guiding worshippers to his Western Paradise; Gwangyeongpyeonsangdo, or The Frontispiece for the Sutra on the Meditation of Amitayas, Suwolganeumdo (The Water-Moon Avalokitesvara), portraying Gwanseeum in a meditative posture looking over water by moonlight; and Jijangbosaldo, depicting Ksitigarbha, the Ruler of the Underworld.

Throughout the Goryeo period, an enormous number of ritual paintings were produced for use in large-scale temple ceremonies

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Chapter Five

RECoRDS oF NATuRE

“In Korea, landscape painting—rather than figure paintings or historical paintings as in the Western world—became the preeminent form in part because nature itself was considered sacred. Nature was seen as a living entity. It symbolized both an integral part of human life and a higher spiritual being.

Such a conception of nature was shared also by China and Japan, with each culture developing its own variations of the philosophy and related rituals. Given the lofty ideals attached to it, transferring this vast and superior nature or landscape onto a two-dimensional surface posed a challenge to artists that in turn elevated the position of landscape painting.”

Soyoung Lee, Asia Society, Aug. 20, 2008

Record of Nature 65

I

n Korean painting of the Joseon era, the landscape was regarded as the highest form of the art. As noted above, this is largely the product of the Korean world view—nature is sacred, and mankind is just one part of it. Another important reason was the hegemony of Neo-Confucianism in Joseon society. Confucianism, with its emphasis on humility, encourages an aesthetic that treats the human form—and even man made objects—as purely secondary.

For this reason, the landscape painting achieved high status, first in Song China, where the beautiful natural landscapes became a metaphor for the well-ordered state. So it was in Korea, too, which at any rate had taken to adopting Chinese painting forms in the Joseon era.

Clearing after Rain on Mt. Inwangsan. Jeong Seon started painting actual Korean landscapes rather than idealized versions of Chinese landscapes. (Jeong Seon, 1751, Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art)

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Jeong Seon (1676-1759) One of the most prolific and distinguished painters of the Joseon era, Jeong Seon was extremely active during his 83 years, and more than 500 of his works remain today. Thoroughly at home with the principles of the I Qing, or Book of Changes, and NeoConfucianism, Jeong was an ardent traveller who toured the country rendering the beauty of Korean landscapes in his paintings. He was particularly interested in capturing the breathtaking beauty of Mt. Geumgangsan, which he visited seven times and depicted in hundreds of works. Jeong exceeded other painters not only in his zeal to depict uniquely Korean themes but also in his creativity of composition and style.

Kim Du-ryang (1696-1763) A professional court painter affiliated with the Royal Academy of Painting (Dohwaseo), Kim Du-ryang left many fine landscape paintings such as Landscapes of the Four Seasons and Landscape in the Moonlight. Kim’s father and son were also court painters.

Mountain and Stream under the Moonlight, a work depicting a secluded forest flooded in moonlight on a late autumn night, is a masterpiece overflowing with Korean atmosphere and emotion.

yi In-sang (1710-1760) Yi In-sang led a poor but honest life and left behind many works distinguished for their purity and freshness. His major works deal with themes such as scholars chatting under an enormous old tree, large trees and rocks, and a scholar seated beneath a pine tree enjoying a waterfall. These themes probably appealed to Yi because they reflected the pure and simple life he himself led. Yi also painted several works depicting Mt. Geumgangsan.

Mt. Geungangsan. Jeong Seon was particularly interested in capturing the breathtaking beauty of Mt. Geumgangsan, which he visited seven times and depicted in hundreds of works. (Jeong Seon, 1734, Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art )

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were not endowed with great imaginative powers, a fervent love for ordinary people, and superb painting skills.

Kim also produced a large number of biographical series (pyeongsaengdo) and ajipdo, paintings of gatherings of gentlemen, which reveal his belief that paintings were an important form of historical record. Kim probably produced these types of paintings upon request; however, his other genre paintings must have been done of his own volition. They are full of life and refreshing appeal because Kim painted them from the common life he loved so much to observe. He also left an album of genre paintings in which the human figures seem very much alive. His favorite subjects were traditional games, shoe making, and outdoor recreation scenes.

Sin yun-bok (1758-?)

When it comes to colorful genre paintings with a distinct hint of sensuality, no one can beat Sin Yun-bok. Although they both lived in Seoul, Sin’s artistic world was quite different from that of Kim Hong-do, who was 13 years his senior. The two share little in the way of motifs, composition, the portrayal of human figures, color, or atmosphere. In a word, Sin’s work is almost too romantic and erotic. His best works depict tavern scenes, shamans, sword dances, spring outings, women bathing on Dano (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month), gisaeng houses, and lovers in the moonlight. Sin’s paintings always manage to arouse curious feelings in the viewer.

yun Du-seo (1668-1715) Yun Du-seo left the best self-portrait by a Joseon-era painter.

Great grandson of Yun Seon-do (1587-1671), an eminent poet who wrote many excellent Korean-language poems including “The Fisherman’s Calendar,” Yun Du-seo was well-versed not

Scenes of Everyday Life 83

(Text in top left) “The spring in her heart and turmoil in her mind Are captured well by my paintbrush.”

The Beauty (Sin Yun-bok, 18th C, Gansong Museum)

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of the Giroso in 1689. The officials are shown against the background of a Chinese-style mansion and garden.

Also worthy of special mention are two 18th century pieces executed by a group of leading portrait painters, including Jang Ok and Jang Gyeong-ju. One of these album leaves dates to 1719, and the other was painted in 1744. Both contain small, half-length portraits of figures with stereotyped features and postures. The coloring was done in layers, a common Joseon-era technique, which made the faces appear more realistic.

Larger individual portraits were also produced privately.

Portrait of Yi Jae. A portrait of late Joseon-era scholar Yi Jae (1745-1820) is typical of the portraits of Joseon literati. (1803, National Museum of Korea) Self-Portrait. Yun’s self-portrait is impressive for its shrewd depiction of a handsome face with a penetrating gaze and impressive side whiskers and beard. (Yun Du-seo, 1710, Nokudang, Jeollanam-do)

Faces from the Past, Portrait Paintings 95

Portraits of the Literati Portraits of the literati, or sadaebu, as the scholar-officials were called, were the most common form of portrait. Many of these full-length paintings provide a highly successful portrayal of their subjects. This is probably because the painters had more frequent contact with their subjects in a relaxed atmosphere. However, the quality of these portraits varies widely, while those of meritorious subjects tend to maintain a certain standard of quality, although they can be quite stereotyped.

Historical records, as well as the few extant examples of literati portraits, indicate that such paintings were first produced during the Unified Silla period. The Goryeo period saw the active production of portraits of the learned nobility, and demands for such paintings began to increase drastically during the Joseon period, when Confucian social decorum required numerous ceremonies at ancestral shrines, private academies, and public educational institutions. Portraits of ancestors or revered ancient sages were housed at all such sites.

In this respect, the literati portrait genre played a unique role in the development of Korea’s portrait painting and was quite different from portrait painting in China or Japan. For example, in most portraits of Chinese scholars produced in the late Ming and Qing periods the figures were portrayed with simple, abbreviated strokes. These pictures were usually presented in handscrolls or album leaves since they were, for the most part, created for aesthetic appreciation. In Japan, the portrait genre focused on emperors, monks, and shoguns, and portraits of literati were relatively unpopular until recent times.

Portraits of Korean literati were usually produced in impressive sizes, 180 x l00 cm or larger, for ceremonial use. Most often the subject was shown sitting cross-legged, wearing elegant scholar’s

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Paintings of Magpies and Tigers: Jakhodo Jakhodo are composed of a tiger under a large pine tree in which a magpie sits squawking. The anthrophomorphized tiger wears a prosperous and comic expression. The reason for depicting the fierce tiger in such a friendly manner lies in the long held Korean belief that the tiger is the messenger for the mountain deities as well as a clever animal that assists human beings.

The magpie is believed to be the harbinger of good news and, at the same time, the messenger of the shrine deities who oversee human fortune and Jakhodo (Gahoe Museum) misfortune. The shrine deities are said to send the magpie to the four corners of the earth to relay their prophecies to the tiger.

Paintings of Tiger Hides: Hopido These paintings realistically depicting patterns of the tiger hide were used as decorations in place of expensive tiger hides. Customarily, a cloth bearing a tiger hide pattern was draped on a bride’s palanquin on the trip to her in-laws’ house for the wedding. The underlying belief was that, with the help of the tiger deity, the bride would be protected from harmful spirits and lead a peaceful life.

Paintings of Fish and Crabs: Eohaedo These paintings originated in the drawings of Zhao Kexiong and Liu Cai of Northern Song China, but in Korean folk paintings

Folklore painting 113

depictions of fish and crabs are known for their liveliness and free-flowing brushstrokes. The fish appear in pairs, missing or engaging in sex play. Carp, grey mullets, yellowtails, harvest fish, sharks, sole, stingrays, minnows, crabs, prawns, and clams are among the species portrayed in eohaedo.

Landscape Paintings: Sansudo Landscape paintings falling under the category of minhwa can be divided into two basic groups: those following the Korean tradition, and those conforming to the Chinese tradition of landscape painting. The genre can also be classified according to stylistic expression: realistic paintings resembling maps, and highly stylized paintings offering a more stereotypical expression. The latter portrays nature as a fantastic and idealistic space where yin and yang of nature.

Sansudo most commonly depict Mt. Geumgang, eight scenic points in the Gwandong area on the east coast of Korea, eight scenic points in the Gwanseo area, nine scenic

Eohaedo (Jang Ik-jun, Gyeonggi Provincial Museum)

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Paintings of the Ten Longevity Symbols: Sipjangsaengdo The sipjangsaengdo depict the sipjangsaeng, or ten longevity symbols (the sun, clouds, mountains, rocks, water, cranes, deer, turtles, pine trees, and the fungus of eternal youth).

Sipjangsaengdo were usually quite large, consisting of 8 to 12 sections on a folding screen, and were generally used by the upper classes for decoration during the New Year’s holiday or on festive occasions, such as 60th birthday celebrations or silver wedding anniversaries. They were also placed behind the queen’s throne.

Paintings of Bookcases and Scholars’ Rooms: Munbangdo, and Chaekgado This genre depicting the furnishings of a man’s quarters was born of the taste for scholarly things prevalent in Confucian society. The genre began with the depiction of various containers, but in later

Folklore painting 117

times a wide variety of items that had nothing to do with books were portrayed, including, fruit, vegetables, women’s headgear, fish bowls, and brooms. These paintings served as good luck charms.

Watermelons, for example, signified “longevity,” as the words for “watermelon” (subak) and “longevity” (subok) are similar. On the other hand, the eggplant symbolized “many sons,” due to its resemblance to the penis.

These paintings are technically interesting because reverse perspective was used in such a way that distant objects were painted larger than objects in the foreground, as if the viewer were looking out from the back.

Paintings of Shamanistic Deities: Musindo These portraits of the deities worshipped by the shaman can be divided into three categories: pictures used exclusively by the shaman; pictures of shamanist rites; and pictures of shamanist deities.

The richness of the minhwa genre reflects the variety of life in old Korea.

While the subject matter and function of these paintings may vary widely, they are all uniquely Korean and provide us with a priceless window into traditional life.

Chaekgado (Gahoe Museum)

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ThE PAINTER'S TOOLS

Handmade paper, writing brushes, inksticks, and inkstones have long been the tools of the Korean painter and calligrapher. Not only are these tools essential to traditional painting and calligraphy, but through their long history they have also come to possess special meaning for the Korean people.

In traditional society, these four tools were called “the scholar’s four friends” or “the scholar’s four treasures,” a sign of the respect accorded them as the essential companions of the literati class. In the context of the Confucian value system upon which the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) was based, the social status of the literati was second only to that of the monarch. It was the literati’s refinement that set them apart from other classes, and “the scholar’s four friends” were the symbols of this scholarly cultivation. Paper, brushes, ink, and inkstones were more than tools for artistic expression; they were symbols of lofty scholarly ethics, necessities for any Korean intellectual, and, in many cases, ostentatious status symbols.

Appendix 121

PAPER The term hanji, or traditional Korean paper, refers to paper made by hand, generally out of the bark of mulberry trees native to the Korean peninsula, which is distinct from traditional Chinese paper or Japanese paper.

Hanji best expresses the Korean view of nature. When Oriental red coloring is applied to Korean paper, it does not merely sit on top of the paper; the white paper and red coloring are, in fact, united to become pink paper. This reveals Eastern harmony, or agreement, in a very material sense.

BRuSHES The Korean use and basic conception of the brush are different from those of Western culture. For example, a wide variety of brushes, ranging in size, shape and texture, are used in Western oil painting, each expressing a distinct feeling. An Oriental brush, however, can express a broad range of emotions depending on the way it is used. An oil paint brush cannot imitate the way a single touch of an Oriental brush changes shading or color. The artist grips the top of the brush, and only the very tip of the brush touches the surface of the paper. The rest of the brush serves to transmit the artist’s energy to the paper.

INK Koreans often say ink should be as clear and pure as a child’s eyes. The best ink is made by placing a small amount of water in the inkstone well and rubbing the inkstick slowly back and forth for a long time. One should only make as much ink as one will use in one sitting. Of course, the amount of water added depends on how the ink is to be used. More water is needed for ink used in shading.

INKSToNES The role of the inkstone is very much like that of the ink. In fact, the inkstone was and still is the subject of much discussion among painters and calligraphers, who view it as an important tool and symbol of their work. A fine inkstone reflects the character of its owner.

The content of this book has been compiled and edited

by Robert Koehler based on the following articles published in KOREANA Vol. 6, No.3 Autumn 1992.

“The Korean Painting Tradition” by Ahn Hwi-joon “Buddhist Painting from the Goryeo Period: A Mirror of Religious Values and Aristocratic Tastes” by Mun Myung-dae “Joson Era Landscape and Genre Painting” by Huh Young-hwan “A Scholar’s Art: Painting in the Tradition of the Chinese Southern School”

by Ahn Hwi-joon “Faces from the Past: Korea’s Portrait Paintings” by Cho Sunmie “Minhwa: A Precious Look at Traditional Korean Life” by Eom So Yeon “The Painter's Tools” by Lee Kyung-su

CONTRIBUTORS Robert Koehler, Ahn Hwi-joon, Mun Myung-dae, Huh Young-hwan, Cho Sunmie, Eom So Yeon, and Lee Kyung-su PhOTOGRAPhS Image Today Korean Film Archive Robert Koehler Yonhap Photo

70 62 44 13, 16, 21, 24, 25, 27, 50, 86, 87, 89, 97, 101, 106, 109, 120, 121 Except for the photos above, each painting is named in its respective caption.

Credits Publisher

Kim Hyung-geun

Editor Copy Editor Proofreader

Cho Seon-ah Colin A. Mouat Chung Kyung-a, Ben Jackson

Designer

Kim Young-ju

KOREA ESSENTIALS No. 2

Traditional Painting

2010 Series

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Traditional Painting Window on the Korean Mind

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Traditional Food

K

orean painting reveals a connectivity with nature that parallels the Korean traditional world view.

Living in a dramatic landscape of rugged peaks, deep valleys and broad rivers, Koreans have long held nature in deep reverence. This respect, this yearning for nature, is immediately apparent in Korean paintings, whose aesthetic is likened to an “artless art” of gentle lines, generous shapes, and naturalistic colors. Beauty is found in the big picture rather than the details; paintings exhibit a naturalness that moves the viewer with its humility.

Many Korean paintings were painted not by artists, but by ordinary nobles and even commoners. For the people of old Korea, painting was often a part of life, a way to express their inner spirit. Perhaps it is this that makes Korean painting so approachable, so human.

Window on the Korean Mind

Hangeul

Window on the Korean Mind

About the series The Korea Essentials series is a cooperative project between the Korea Foundation and Seoul Selection aimed at furnishing an international reader with insight and basic understanding into the arts and culture of Korea.

The content of this series is based on the material published in Koreana, the Korea Foundation’s full-color quarterly featuring in-depth coverage of various aspects of Korea’s cultural themes.

A Taste of Korean Life 9,000 won / US$ 15.00

ISBN 978-89-91913-74-5 ISBN 978-89-91913-70-7 (set)

KOREA ESSENTIALS

* Titles are subject to change.

COVER PICTURE Dano, Sin Yun-bok, 18th C, Gansong Museum COVER DESIGN Jung Hyun-young, Kim Young-ju