Art Historian Yu Hong-jun Rewrites Story of Master Painter Jeong Seon

"This painting is Korea's Mona Lisa." On December 15 last year, Keith Wilson, head of Asian art at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington D.C., could not hide his excitement as he pointed to the work — "Inwangjesaekdo" (Clearing After Rain on Mount Inwang) by Joseon-era master Jeong Seon, known by his pen name Gyeomjae.

The painting drew the most attention at the overseas touring exhibition of the "Lee Kun-hee Collection," donated by the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee.

Yu Hong-jun, director of the National Museum of Korea and author of the bestselling "My Cultural Heritage Exploration," defines Jeong Seon (1676-1759) not as a "hwaga" (painter) but as a "hwain" (literally "person of painting"). Yu explains that the suffix "in," used for poets and literati, suits these artists better than the modern concept of painter. Jeong Seon, widely known as a painter, was also a Joseon-era scholar-official. "Joseon painters explored and cultivated Confucian learning, not just technique," Yu says. This is why Joseon-era paintings are called "seohwa," bundling calligraphy and painting together. Mastering both civil and military arts while cultivating literature and art was an essential virtue for Joseon scholar-officials.

"Newly Written Lives of Painters" is a complete revision of Yu's 2001 book "Lives of Painters." The author describes it as essentially a new work rather than a mere revision, as advances in historical research have produced new facts and interpretations requiring reassessment.

The original "Lives of Painters" was published in two volumes, but the new series is planned as five volumes. Volume 1 features Jeong Seon alone, reflecting the Korean art world's high regard for him. The book addresses many previously unknown stories about the master.

Jeong Seon lived to 84, remarkably long for his era. He was a late bloomer who reached his artistic peak in his 60s. Breaking from the conventional landscape painting that copied Chinese pictorial manuals, Jeong Seon created and perfected "jingyeong sansu" — true-view landscape painting that depicted Korean mountains and rivers as they actually appeared. "Inwangjesaekdo," painted at age 76, marked the pinnacle of Joseon painting, employing layered brushwork with a dry brush to render the slippery texture of rain-washed rocks.

Yu emphasizes that Jeong Seon represents the prototype of K-Culture, embodying the pride and humanistic spirit of the intellectual class. The series will cover 10 artists in total, including Jeong Seon, Yun Du-seo, Kim Hong-do, and Kim Jeong-hui. 25,000 won.