8/28/2023 0 Comments South korea winter scenery![]() Sixteen of the 17 men in attendance wrote encomiums, which were later attached when the painting was remounted on a lengthy scroll. On his trip to Beijing later that year, he carried the painting and showed it to his Chinese friends at a gathering. Yi Sang-jeok was deeply moved by his teacher’s present. From this remark was derived the painting’s title. Then he quoted Confucius, saying, “When the year becomes cold, then we know how the pine and the cypress are the last to lose their leaves” (The Analects, Book IX “Tsze Han,” Chapter 27 Translation by James Legge). Amidst such a tendency, you make huge efforts to seek books and, instead of giving those hard-won books to people who would take care of your interests, send them to a person who is pitifully emaciated in a faraway place beyond the sea.” Kim wrote, “The world today is swept by the tendency of chasing power and benefits. A long colophon to left of the painting, carefully written on a grid paper, describes his gratitude to Yi for his continued gifts of valuable books he brought back from his trips to China. Kim created the painting as a present for his student, Yi Sang-jeok (1804-1865), a government interpreter. Dozens of men of letters from Korea, China and Japan shared their appreciation of the masterpiece and its creator. The unusual history is indicated in the scroll’s unconventional dimensions: 33.5 by 1,469.5 centimeters. It crossed into both China and Japan, changing hands before finally finding a permanent home in the National Museum. The painting’s travel from Jeju is as intriguing as its origin. ![]() ![]() The seemingly nonchalant dry brush of the renowned calligrapher and epigraphist wondrously expresses a lonely winter scene with grace and dignity. (“Sehan” refers to the cold around the Lunar New Year and “do” means painting.) Befitting Kim’s reputation, the ink and wash painting exhibits masterly brush technique. “Sehando” is a simple depiction of a humble hut and four trees - one old, gnarled pine and three arborvitaes - standing in wilderness. Thus, Jeju became the home of condemned criminals and political threats. When authorities wanted to send an offender especially far away, they chose the southernmost major island. Still centuries away from becoming a popular tourist destination, Jeju Island promised rough terrain, fierce winds and crashing tides. It was the severest and most dreaded banishment during the Joseon Dynasty. Accused of false charges in a power struggle, he spent his days on Jeju Island, confined to a thatched hut isolated from society and surrounded by a hedge of thorn. Kim, also known by his pen names Chusa and Wandang, produced the priceless painting in 1844, his fourth year in exile. The highlight is their last donation: “Sehando (A Winter Scene)” by Kim Jeong-hui (1786-1856), who is widely considered Korea’s greatest calligrapher. The exhibition celebrates magnanimous donations of ancient artworks by philanthropist entrepreneur Sohn Se-ki (1903-1983) and his son, Sohn Chang-keun. But a resurgence of infections heightened precautions against public gatherings and the exhibit closed after just two weeks. ![]() The museum made commendable efforts to arrange a rare, enticing exhibition, hoping that it could give hearts and minds a respite from the COVID-19 pandemic. During the subdued Christmas and New Year holiday period, a very special painting commanded a gallery of the National Museum of Korea shrouded in darkness.
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