In order for the Korean art to gain an international recognition as an achievement with unique qualities, it would have to possess features which distinguish it from art in other parts of the world. For a great many years in history, Korea has been...
In order for the Korean art to gain an international recognition as an achievement with unique qualities, it would have to possess features which distinguish it from art in other parts of the world. For a great many years in history, Korea has been placed under the influence of Chinese culture. China has historically extended extensive influence on the formation of Korean culture, while Korea has played a major role in transmitting the Chinese accomplishments in culture and art to Japan across the Korean strait. In the course of performing this unique role, Korea has been able to develop its own special culture through displaying an outstanding talent in assimilating foreign cultural influences.
The development of the Yi dynasty art received an extensive influence from Chinese paintings. Yet, the special artistic talent inherent in the Korean people made it possible for Korea to develop its own artistic style on the basis of their analysis of what had been and was being accomplished in China. This process of assimilation and naturalizalation of Chinese art began roughly in the middle part of the Yi dynasty, culminating in the creation of what can be called a distinctly Korean art in the later years.
This achievement is based primarily on the discovery of ego and the development of a sense of identity on the part of the Yi dynasty artists. It was this sense of identity that eventually led to the creation of art which was distinctly national in motif, style and technique. It was through this sense of identity too that Korea succeeded in freeing itself from the Chinese influence and in thus achieving artistic independence.
This subject aims to study the process of transfiguration of Korean painting school departing form the influence of the traditional Chinese schools and attaining the independence of it through the examination of major artists' work in chronological order as listed below;
1. Yang-Song-Dang Kim Che(1515 - ?)
2. Sa-Im-Dang Madam Shin(1504 - 1551)
3. Na-Ong Lee Chong(1578 - 1607)
4. Ho-Ju Lee Ching(1581 - ?)
5. Ch'ang-Kang Cho Sok(1595 - 1669)
6. T'oe-Ch'on Kim Chik(King Song-Jong-In Jo ?)
7. Kok-Un Kim Su-Zung(1624 - 1702)
8. Kong-Chai Yun Du So(1668 - ?)
9. Kyom-Chai Chung Son(1676 - 1760)
Kim Chik(T'oe-Ch'on) was a descendant of Kim Che(Yang-Song-Dang), both Lee Chong's(Na-Ong) grand father Lee Sang Chua and father Lee Sung-Hyo were famed artists during the earlier part of Yi period along with his uncle Lee Hung-Hyo.
Lee Ching(Ho-Ju) was the son of Lee Kyong-Yun, earlier renowned artist; Yun Du-So(Kong Chai) was the son of famed noble man of literary, Yun Son-Do. Both Kim Che and Kim Chik were talented in the painting of bulls creating the unique Korean still life style painting, while Madam Shin and Cho Sok(Ch'ang-Kang) established the Korean tradition of flower and birds painting. Yun Do-So(Kong Chai) excelled in figure painting, especially portrait painting. Lee Chong's(Na-Ong) landscape painting motivated the Korean landscape painting school and further succeeded by Kim Su-Zung(Kok-Un) and Chung. Son(Kyom-Chai) who finally realized the establishment of a unique Korean landseape painting school creating his own outstanding sensitivities and techniques.
Out of the nine artists above mentioned, five(Kim Che, Lee Chong, Lee Ching, Kim Chik and Chung Son) were the members of the Academy of painting and origins of the "Chung-In"(middle) class, which suggests that the Korea painting school was not predominantly birds and flowers and still life rather than landscape painting. The major traits of their works were comprised stylized humor, decorative harmonization, lyric gayness, healthy amateurism, overall unity through simplication and free optimism. They, however, are always companied by a sense of serenity and calmness. When these characteristics are consolidated and thereby "diversified unity" is achieved, the superior nature of Korean paintings becomes more clearly evidenced. The foundation of Korean art features a conservatism among Koreans who are traditionally sensitive toward the natural environment in which they live and who exhibit an intense love for nature.
These unique features of Korean paintings reached the zenith of their development during the years of kong Yongjo(1725-1776) and king Chongjo(1776-1800) of the Yi dynasty, and the works created during this period consummated a spectacular accomplishment of national art. In the later yeat, further growth of Korean art was stunted in the face of intrusions by th Ch'ing dynasty's mandarin paintings.
Korea's unique artistic tradition did not crumble or was obliterated overnight. On the contrary, the need is being voiced among an increasing number of Koreans for the preservation and development of their time-honored legacy in art. It is this effort for cultural preservation that currently constitutes the task for the leaders of Korea's contemporary art to undertake.
It is in the context of the need for carrying out this task that the special qualities of the Yi dynasty paintings should be properly appreciated.
In its efforts to seek spiritual encouragement and its aesthetic origin, Korea's contemporary art is bewildered by the onslaght of Western artistic trends. To overcome this situation, a reappraisal of the process of development of the mid-Yi dynasty painting would be of significant importance especially as to the way in which they refused, to succumb to the Chinese influence to be indpendent.