Portrait of Sim Hwan-ji

Sim Hwan-ji (1730-1802) was appointed Second State Councillor in 1798 and Chief State Councillor in 1800, and as leader of the Byeokpa faction he dominated the political scene of his time. The Portrait of Sim Hwan-ji is a full-length portrait, shown in a left-facing nine-tenths profile, with both hands hidden inside the sleeves as he sits in a chair on a flower-patterned mat. The inscription at the top of the painting reads 'True Portrait of Sim, Lord Munchung, Manpo, Chief State Councillor,' suggesting that the work was probably painted after 1800, when Sim Hwan-ji became Chief State Councillor. He wears a tall black gauze cap (osamo) and a dark green official robe, with a paired-crane rank badge on his chest and a rhinoceros-horn belt (seodae) around his waist. The relatively low footstool, the flower-patterned mat rendered in perspective, and the pronounced shading of the clothing are all characteristic of the realistic portrait style of the early nineteenth century. Given the vivid, realistic depiction of the face and the extremely fine rendering of the clothing and fittings, and considering Sim Hwan-ji's high rank, this portrait is presumed to have been painted by Yi Myeong-gi, the most accomplished portrait painter of the time, or by a court painter of comparable skill. The depiction of the face captures the essence of the sitter and clearly conveys his individual character, while the rendering of the fittings, which maximises the sense of texture, creates a vivid, lifelike visual effect. The work well illustrates the harmony of realism and decorative quality characteristic of late Joseon portraiture, and displays outstanding technical skill. Dimensions: 149 x 89.2 cm (painting), 213.5 x 103 cm (overall).

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Where it is

Region

Yongin, Gyeonggi

Designation

Treasure · 보물