Miwon gyehoedo (Gathering of Officials of the Censor-general) with Seong Se-chang’s Poem

Miwon gyehoedo with Seong Se-chang's Poem is a gyehoedo, a painting commemorating a gathering of officials, depicting a meeting of officials who enjoyed refined pursuits and fostered fellowship. The painting measures 49 cm wide and 57 cm high, and its painter is unknown. The title "Miwon gyehoedo" is written at the top of the picture; Miwon was another name for the Saganwon, the Office of the Censor-general, and the painting depicts a gathering of its officials. In the middle section, the gathering itself is depicted on a small scale against a landscape background. In the foreground, two pine trees stand on a hill, with the gathering shown taking place below and mountain peaks arranged behind. To the left, a single boat floats on a river, lending an air of elegance and poetic sentiment. At the bottom are recorded the official posts, names and clan seats of those who took part in the gathering, and at the top is a text by Seong Se-chang, which shows that the painting was made in 1540, the 35th year of King Jungjong. It shows a style typical of early Joseon landscape painting, with an asymmetric composition weighted to the right. The landscape background occupies most of the picture, while the gathering itself appears only small and symbolic, reflecting the contemporary tendency to place great importance on nature. It is the oldest surviving gyehoedo in Korea, and clearly shows both the style of the An Gyeon school, popular in the mid-sixteenth century, and the general format of the gyehoedo genre.

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Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물