A wrestling match is in full swing at the center of a circle of spectators. The red-belted wrestler lifts his opponent in a "deulbaejigi" throw, while the blue-belted one counters with an inner-leg hook. Some groan in disappointment at the impending fall, while others shout for the wrestler not to go down. Their expressions alone reveal which side they are rooting for. Even a nobleman in a traditional gat hat watches, half-hiding his face behind a fan. A taffy vendor pays no attention to the match, focused solely on his sales. The scene differs little from a modern wrestling arena. This is "Ssireum (Wrestling)," from the "Danwon Genre Painting Album" (late 18th century) by Danwon Kim Hong-do (1745-1806). Yoo Hong-june, director of the National Museum of Korea, declared, "Without paintings like these, we would have no way of knowing how people lived during the Joseon Dynasty."
The National Museum of Korea has launched its second thematic exhibition this year at its Painting and Calligraphy Gallery, titled "Danwon Kim Hong-do, Painting an Era." Masterpieces by Danwon Kim Hong-do, familiar to many from their school textbooks, have been gathered in one place. The exhibition features 96 works across 50 sets, including Kim's representative works and handwritten letters by Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
The most eye-catching part of the exhibition is the Kim Hong-do themed display in Painting Gallery 2. Visitors can view a range of works spanning from Kim's prime years to his later life. Kim served as a "chabidaeryeong hwawon," a painter on permanent court duty. In today's terms, the role would be comparable to an official painter attached to the presidential office or central government, or a staff photojournalist.
During the reign of King Jeongjo, when Kim was most active, economic growth expanded public interests and drove demand for diverse paintings. The king himself was particularly curious about worldly affairs. Unable to roam freely outside the palace, he had to rely on paintings to understand the world. This was one reason court painters such as Kim had to work so diligently.
Another feature of the exhibition is the breadth of Kim's work on display. Kim excelled not only at genre paintings but also at landscapes, portraits, and Taoist-Buddhist figure paintings depicting immortals and eminent monks. "If one were to name Joseon's greatest painter, there is also Gyeomjae Jeong Seon, who perfected the Korean-style true-view landscape, but in terms of painting itself, Danwon stands supreme," Yoo said. "Perhaps he can be called the greatest painter since Dangun."
Among the highlights are 11 of the 25 leaves from the "Danwon Genre Painting Album," which vividly captures the daily lives of commoners. "Mudong (Dancing Boy)" depicts a boy dancing to music played on instruments including the haegeum, while "Seodang (Village School)" portrays students studying at a traditional school with such immediacy that viewers feel they are there. The remaining 14 leaves are scheduled to appear in July at an exhibition on food culture titled "Our Dining Tables."
Kim's style matured with age. In "Girosaeryeongyedo" (1804), which he painted at age 60 to depict a gathering of elders held at Manwoldae in Kaesong, he moves freely between landscape and figure painting. "Nomaedo" (1804), created in the same period, uses bold brushstrokes to render the trunk of a tree, with texture achieved through the effect of spreading ink. "Chongseokjeong" (1795), painted when Kim was 51 and held in a private collection, is being unveiled to the public for the first time through this exhibition. The lyrical details, including seagulls taking flight as waves crash, catch the eye.
The exhibition also highlights Kim's mentor. Painting Gallery 1 features Kim alongside his teacher Kang Se-hwang (1713-1791). Over time, the two developed into artistic companions. Kim's "Seowon Ajipdo" and "Haengryeo Pungsokdo" bear commentary handwritten by Kang himself. A "Portrait of Kang Se-hwang" (1782), painted by Kang, hangs alongside them.
Painting Gallery 3 displays three works from "Pyongyang Governor's Banquet" (early 19th century), which features more than 2,500 figures. Painted in Kim's style, the works depict large-scale banquet scenes held in Pyongyang at the time. The painting served as the motif for a drinking cup in the museum's "Mueseum" cultural merchandise line, which drew attention for changing color with temperature. Also on display are court decorative paintings, including "bubyeokhwa" murals that once adorned the walls of Gyotaejeon Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace — the living quarters of the queen — as well as folk paintings.
In the calligraphy gallery, a handwritten letter by Admiral Yi Sun-sin draws attention. The privately held artifact has never before been shown to the public. The letter was written on July 8, 1598, just four months before the Battle of Noryang, and was addressed to Han Hyo-sun, the chief logistics officer in charge of military supplies. The writing conveys the deep emotions of Yi as he approached his final battle. The exhibition runs through August 2.
