Korean Art : Portrait of a Dignitary

Portrait of a Dignitary

By anonymous artist. Korea. 16th century

Mineral pigments on paper

32 × 20 cm

Medieval Korean portrait-painting was strongly influenced by Chinese art. It adopted pictorial canons evolved in China during the rule of the Sung dynasty. This portrait of a Korean dignitary, the governor of a province, is the work of an unknown Korean artist. The model is represented in formal dress and traditional headwear. His posture is static, his face impenetrable. The portrait is not devoid of individual traits, yet the artist apparently concentrated on rendering certain general features of a high-ranking person-imperiousness, self-assurance, and strength of mind and character.

The State Museum of Oriental Art: Japan

Two-fold screen: 

Monkeys Trying to Catch the Reflection of the Moon

By Kano Toshun

17th century

Indian ink on paper

Height 185 cm; width 95 cm

The Falling of Rime-frost

By Hasegawa Nobuharu (1539-1610)

Indian ink and slight colour

54 × 35 cm

Triptych: Snow, the Moon and Flowers

By Eishi Chobunsai (1756-1815/29)

Colour on silk. 82.5 × 9 cm

Bamboo

By Ikeno Taiga (1723-1776)

Indian ink

130 × 52.5cm

Diptych: Spring and Autumn

By Watanabe Kazan (1793-1841)

Colour on silk

102 × 34 cm

Theatre scene

By Torii Kiyonobu (1664-1729)

Woodblock print, hand-painted

30.8 × 14.5 cm

Actor as Cricket-seller

By Utagawa Toyokuni (1769-1825)

Woodblock print, hand-painted

25.5 × 36.5 cm

Sketches

By Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849)

Indian ink

24.1 × 34.1 cm

Lotus-flower

By Tomioka Tessai (1836-1924). An album sheet

Indian ink and mineral pigments

52 × 60 cm

The State Museum of Oriental Art : China

Portrait of the Poetess Su Jolan

Kuan Taosheng (1264- 1319)

 1311

A Poem about an Abandoned Wife

By Ch'ou Ying (active between 1500 and 1570)

Geese

Hsiang Yuanpien (1525-1590)

1587

Landscape

Ch'a Shihpiao (1615-1698). China. 1674

Poppies

By Yun Shoup'ing (1633-1699)

An album sheet

Portrait of the Buddhist Patriarch Ch'ang Mei laotsu

By anonymous artist

16th century