Gim Myeong-guk (김명국, b. 1600, d. after 1662), also known as Kim Myeong-guk, was a full-time painter of the mid
Joseon period of Korea.
Life and legacy
Gim Myeong-guk was born in 1600.
He entered the royal service as a member of the
Dohwaseo, the official painters of the Joseon court.
Quite immediately, Gim Myeong-guk appeared as a new type of artist, clearly distinctive from his contemporaries, who more or less worked as craftsmen that faithfully replicated mainstream styles. A diplomatic statement is ''"he was known to have an artistic personality that was characterized by individualism and obstinacy"'',
[ while an understatement would be ''"his contemporaries described him as a carefree drunkard, a characterization that corresponds to the Chinese image of the eccentric artist"''.][
Nevertheless, (or precisely for this reason), Gim Myeong-guk has been in charge of many official artistic tasks.
He was member of both the large-scale ]Tongsinsa
The Joseon Tongsinsa were goodwill missions sent intermittently, at the request of the resident Japanese authority, by Joseon dynasty Korea to Japan. The Korean noun identifies a specific type of diplomatic delegation and its chief envoys. From ...
send to Japan by King Injo (1595–1623–1649). The 1636 delegation was led by Im Gwang
Im Gwang (1579–1644) was a scholar-official of the Joseon Dynasty Korea.
He was also diplomat and ambassador, representing Joseon interests in the 4th Edo period diplomatic mission to the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan.Toby, Ronald P. (1991). '' ...
(1579–1644), while the 1643 delegation was led by Yun Sunji
Yun Sunji (1591–1666) was a scholar-official of the Joseon Dynasty Korea in the 17th century.
He was also diplomat and ambassador, representing Joseon interests in the 5th Edo period diplomatic mission to Japan.Toby, Ronald P. (1991). ''State ...
(1591–1666). ''"According to one account, Gim became distraught with exhaustion because an endless stream of Japanese enthusiasts, eager to purchase his works, would not allow him a moment of peace"''.[.
] Dalmado (cf infra) was painted during his second trip to Japan.
In 1647, he directed a team of 6 Senior painters (화원) and 66 other people to repair the Changgyeong Palace.[ Britannica. http://preview.britannica.co.kr/bol/topic.asp?article_id=b03g1578a ] Later he was in charge of portraits of meritorious subjects. The circumstances and the year of his death are unknown. His last known painting (Sasipalgyeongdo) dates back to 1662.
Gallery
Although retained as a court painter, Gim was also a pioneering artist who insisted on creating works that were true to his personality and sentiments.[
Most of the Gim Myeong-guk paintings involving people have Buddhist themes (and a specific artistic style). His pen name Yeondam ("Lotus pond") has Buddhist connotations.][ Yi Saek was the scholar official that opposed the overthrowing of Buddhism at the foundation of the Joseon Kingdom.
]
File:Dalmado.jpg, ''Dalmado'' (Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma was a semi-legendary Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China, and regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. According to a 17th century apo ...
)
File:Kim Myeongguk-Bodhidharma crossing a river with a broken branch.jpg, ''Dalma jeolro gang''
달마절로도강
Bodhidharma crossing a river with a broken branch
File:Kim Myeong-guk, Portrait of Yi Saek.jpg, 이색초상
Portrait of Yi Saek
1654
File:Joseon-Kim Myeongguk-Giryeodo.gif, ''Giryeodo'' 기려도
Going on horseback
1650
File:Kim Myeong-guk, Portrait of Yi Sang-kil.jpg, 이상길초상
Portrait of Yi Sang-kil
1657?
His landscape paintings are more 'mainstream', but nevertheless specific.
The Korean Copyright Commission
See also
* Korean painting
*List of Korean painters
This page lists notable Korean painters beginning from the Joseon Dynasty, including any born in Korea or identifying themselves as Korean.
Joseon period
20th century
Contemporary painters
See also
*Korean painting
*Korean art
Not ...
* Korean art
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
External links
Arts of Korea
an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Gim Myeong-guk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gim, Myeong-guk
17th-century Korean painters
Gim clan of Ansan
1600 births
Year of death unknown
Buddhist artists