"Joseon scholars dismissed Qing China, ruled by the Manchu, as barbarians. This severed the continuous influence of Chinese painting styles. The result was the birth of Silhak (practical learning) in academia and Jingyeong Sansu (true-view landscape painting) in art."
Yoo Hong-joon, director of the National Museum of Korea, made these remarks during a lecture titled "The Founder of True-View Landscape Painting: The Life and Art of Gyeomjae Jeong Seon" at the museum's "Yong" theater in Yongsan, Seoul, on January 10.
The lecture was held to introduce the artistic world of Gyeomjae Jeong Seon (1676-1759) in conjunction with the museum's special exhibition that opened on December 26. This year marks the 350th anniversary of Gyeomjae's birth.
"After the Qing dynasty took power, Chinese cultural influence naturally ceased, creating an opportunity for Korea to look inward and develop its own cultural identity," Yoo explained. "This gave rise to what some call the era of 'So-Junghwa' (Little China), when a trend emerged in Joseon to write and paint in our own style."
Yoo assessed that Gyeomjae deserves recognition as the greatest painter not only in the 500-year Joseon dynasty but in all of Korean history. He provided the turning point that transformed painting from imitating Chinese styles based on Chinese painting manuals to depicting Korea's actual landscapes. The accumulated internal energy was ready to flourish as Chinese cultural influence waned.
Gyeomjae also benefited from his exceptional longevity, living to 84 years old—a long life even by today's standards. With over 60 years of painting, he achieved mastery of his art.
"Jo Yeong-seok, a literati about 10 years younger than Gyeomjae, once said that 'Gyeomjae's paintings rival those of the great Chinese masters. Korean landscape painting truly began anew with Gyeomjae,'" Yoo noted.
"Through true-view landscape painting, Gyeomjae completed our Korean lyricism while preserving the universal concepts of Eastern painting," he added. "Gyeomjae's true-view landscape style was passed down to later generations and further developed by artists including Lee In-mun, Kim Yun-gyeom, Gang Hui-eon, and Kim Hong-do in the late Joseon period."
The 800-seat "Yong" theater was nearly full, with only parts of the second floor unoccupied, demonstrating Yoo's enduring popularity despite his official position as museum director. After the lecture, a long line formed of people seeking his autograph on his recent book "Newly Written Biographies of Painters 1: Gyeomjae Jeong Seon."
Yoo presented dozens of Gyeomjae's works and related paintings by other artists through slides during his lecture. "Many paintings cannot be seen once they go into storage. The difference between seeing a painting in person and seeing it in photographs is like the difference between reading a book and just reading a summary," he said. "I urge you to visit the Gyeomjae exhibition currently underway at the National Museum of Korea."
The museum is currently holding a focused exhibition of Gyeomjae Jeong Seon and paintings from his era through the reopened Calligraphy and Painting Gallery on the second floor of the permanent exhibition hall. Yoo recommended comparing the "Sinmyonyeon Pungakdocheop," a series of Mount Geumgang paintings created when Gyeomjae was 36, with "Bagyeon Waterfall," painted in his late 70s.