Hwang Seong-won Portrait

This is a merit-subject portrait (gongsin dosang, a portrait honouring a meritorious subject) of Hwang Seong-won (d. 1667), a civil official of the mid-Joseon period. His clan seat was Jangsu, and in 1627, the fifth year of King Injo, he was ranked second class among the Yeongsa Merit Subjects for reporting the treasonous plot of Yu Hyo-rip; this portrait was painted at that time as his image among the Yeongsa Merit Subjects. The low sa-mo (an official's black gauze cap) and the narrow neckline of the dallyeong (a round-collared official's robe) are typical features of merit-subject portraits of the 17th century. The face is painted over a dark greyish-brown ground, with the outlines and wrinkles rendered in thick brushstrokes, and traces of smallpox scarring are also depicted. The pupils are shown as dark black dots, and the beard is drawn sparse and thin. The complexion is coloured a dark earthy yellow, and the outline of the face is drawn in brown. On the footrest, black leather boots are shown splayed outward, and the floor is covered with a brightly patterned woven mat. The green dallyeong is painted in a thick, dense colour, with the large cloud patterns rendered in a slightly paler green. The folds of the garment are drawn simply in black lines; the curves of the robe's hem follow the folds of the dallyeong, but the cloud patterns are treated flatly. Through the side vents of the dallyeong, a blue lining and pink undergarment are visible. The rank badge on the chest is drawn large, its background filled densely with gold lines, with a pair of silver pheasants and peony blossoms depicted in splendid detail. At the lower ends of both legs of the chair, metal fittings are decorated with a honeysuckle scroll pattern in white line. The floor of the portrait is covered with a brightly patterned woven mat, and the green dallyeong and silver-pheasant rank badge are painted to emphasise the portrait's ornate style. The Portrait of Hwang Seong-won is an example of the typical style of merit-subject portraits from the first half of the 17th century. While it is stylistically related to the 1625 Portraits of the Jeongsa Merit Subjects and the Portraits of the Jinmu Merit Subjects, it shows a little more development, aimed at a more rational depiction of the human form.

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Where it is

Region

Yongin, Gyeonggi

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산