Jeong Seon (1676 –1759) is one of the most famous Korean painters. He is known by the pen name Kyomjae. His cha was Wonbaek and another ho was Nangok.
He established a new painting tradition. Late Joseon witnessed a distinctive era, actively producing paintings with new styles and subject matters that are characteristics of Korea. It was Jeong Seon that opened the window for this new phase of Korean art.
Jeong Seon was born into a noble family of Seoul, enjoyed longevity, and died at the age of eighty-three. As a government official he was a local magistrate three times, and as a painter he was active from thirty-five to eighty-one creating an impressive oeuvre. Including Mt. Geumgangsan, he traveled to various scenic spots in Korea immersing himself in capturing the marvels of nature.
While incorporating the painting techniques of the Southern School of China, Jeong Seon developed a new painting method to express his own interpretation of landscape. His true-view paintings succeeded in vividly depicting the beauty of Korean landscape, and thus, the style Jeong Seon has advanced is of our pride.
Jeong Seon’s world of painting had an immense influence on his contemporaries and later generations, and it subsequently came to constitute the style of the era. His paintings are greatly appreciated even today.
Source: National Museum of Korea
