Chillim Gwanghwamun Gate Nae Geunjeongjeon Hall Jeongsisido Painting

This is a documentary painting in the form of an eight-panel folding screen, painted in colour on silk. The scene commemorates a jeongsi, a special state civil service examination held in the palace courtyard, which took place on 19 September 1747, the 23rd year of King Yeongjo of Joseon, when the king personally attended and set the subject of a poem for his officials to compose. Of the eight panels, only the rightmost bears a painted scene, depicting Geunjeongjeon Hall within Gwanghwamun Gate, where the examination was held. In the distance, Bugaksan Mountain is rendered with thick, shaded contour lines and short horizontal dabs. In the middle ground, the site of Geunjeongjeon Hall — by then reduced to its stone platform and foundation stones — is shown in a bird's-eye perspective looking down from above. On the site of the hall, a white canvas tent and a red royal throne are depicted to indicate the king's personal attendance. Between the distant and middle grounds, clusters of pine trees in the literati painting style are scattered here and there to create a sense of depth. The remaining seven panels record the poems, official posts and names of the officials who took part in the examination. This painting is valued as an important record showing both the ruined state of Gyeongbokgung Palace at the time and the literary atmosphere of the royal court.

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Where it is

Region

Jongno-gu, Seoul

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산