Korean painting

Joseon painters (1392 to 1910) made portraits, figure paintings, landscapes, court paintings, and pictures of flowers, birds and animals; some were scholars, some court painters. Buddhism, which had royal patronage under the earlier Goryeo, became the religion of the masses in late Joseon, and its painters turned to red and green on hemp, cotton or paper. Korean painting encompasses Buddhist devotion, portraits, landscapes and the expressive brushwork of scholar artists. Look at how a figure’s posture, a carefully drawn garment or a few strokes of ink directs attention. During the Joseon dynasty, court and scholarly patronage encouraged new subjects and interpretations of older models, while Buddhist painting continued. Compare individual objects and their uses rather than expecting one national style to explain several centuries of painting. Connected places: Korea.

• Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva with AssemblyUnrecorded Korean makers, late 16th/early 17th century
• Amitabha Buddha with AssemblyUnrecorded Korean makers, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), late 18th century
• OrchidsKim Eung-won, Joseon dynasty(1392–1910)
• Portrait of a Government OfficialChae Yongshin, 1921
• GrapevineChoe Seok-hwan, early 1800s
• Snowscape with FiguresKim Si, 1584
• Egret and ReedsYang Ki-hun, late 1800s
• Bird Sleeping on a Plum TreeYang Ki-hun, early 1900s
• Orchids and RocksYi Ha-eung, 1897–98
• Books and Scholars’ AccoutrementsYi Taek-gyun, late 1800s