Portrait of Yi Chae

This is a portrait of Yi Chae (1745–1820), a Neo-Confucian scholar and official of the late Joseon period. The portrait shows him as a half-length figure wearing a simui, a Confucian scholar's informal robe, and a jeongjagwan, a black horsehair cap named after the Cheng brothers, his hands clasped before him as he faces forward. It depicts his strikingly handsome features with truly outstanding skill, and at the top of the picture the elegant eulogies of two leading calligraphers of the day — Yi Han-jin, pen name Gyeongsan (1732–1815), and Yu Han-ji, pen name Giwon (1760–1834) — sit in harmony with the image, making this one of the most beautiful masterpieces among late Joseon portraits in informal dress. This portrait of Yi Chae is the most representative image of an early nineteenth-century Confucian scholar, and the fine depiction of his radiant, piercing gaze represents the high level of realism that late Joseon portraiture had achieved. Dimensions (height x width): 99.2 x 58 cm.

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Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물