Jeong Seon · Geumgang jeondo (General view of Mt. Geumgangsan / The Diamond Mountains)

Jeong Seon (Korea, 1676–1759), 1734. Ink and colors on paper, 130,7 cm × 94,1 cm (51.5 in × 37.0 in). Ho-Am Art Museum, Yongin

Until the arrival of Jeong Seon, Korean painting was deeply influenced by Chinese art. Court painter of humble origins, Jeong Seon used to paint the landscapes of the area where he lived and worked, developing a genuine Korean style of painting. Therefore, many art historians believe that with the arrival of Jeong Seon, the Golden Age of Korean painting began.

A very prolific painter, Jeong Seon’s favorite subject for his paintings was Mount Geumgangsan (Kumgangsan, translated as “The Diamond Mountain”), located in what is now North Korea. The artist painted more than 100 views of the mountain, being this painting from the Ho-Am Art Museum the best known of them all. Jeong Seon meticulously painted the granite and diorite peaks of the Geumgangsan, creating an impressive “mountain of mountains”.

This work is perhaps the most famous painting in Korea, and was classified as the 217th National Treasure of South Korea in 1984.

G. Fernández – theartwolf.com

Landscape in the Geumgangsan, Korea