Portrait of King Cheoljong

The right third of the Portrait of King Cheoljong has been lost, but the surviving upper-left portion bears an inscription stating the king's age as thirty-one, together with his full honorific royal title, showing that the portrait was painted in the twelfth year of King Cheoljong's reign (1861). According to the Eojin dosa saheol (Record of the Making of the Royal Portrait), published by the Kyujanggak, Yi Han-cheol and Jo Jung-muk served as the lead court painters, assisted by Kim Ha-jong, Bak Gi-jun, Yi Hyeong-nok, Baek Yeong-bae, Baek Eun-bae and Yu Suk. Over the course of about a month, both a version in crimson ceremonial robe and one in military dress were produced, but today only the military-dress version survives. This Portrait of King Cheoljong is the sole surviving example of a Joseon king portrayed wearing full military dress. It is also important because the vivid colouring of the military dress, the refined graded washes, and the meticulous rendering of pattern reveal the skill of the court painters, including Yi Han-cheol and Jo Jung-muk, who took part in producing the royal portrait. Dimensions (height × width): 202 × 93 cm.

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Where it is

Region

Jongno-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물