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An Jung-sik (안중식, 安中植, 1861-1919), pen name Simjeon (심전), was an artist who lived at the very end of the  Joseon period. He was a key person to pursue the transition that started from the "true view landscape" of Jeong Seon (1676-1759) towards the nowadays way of handling the fine arts (미술) in both Korea's.

Biography

Early life

The Royal Bureau of Painting

An Jung-sik was born in Seoul and studied painting under Jang Seung-eop (1843-1897), pen name Owon (오원), a 19th century artist known for his incredible ink painting capabilities and overall well-roundedness in an array of painting styles. After practicing and learning under Jang, An joined the Royal Bureau of Painting (Dohwaseo, Korean: 도화서, Hanja: 圖畵署). An became well acquainted with Jo Seok-jin (조석진, 趙錫晋, 1853-1920), another painter who was also working for the Royal Joseon court. Both painters were highly praised and respected for their contributions to royal art. In 1881, An and Cho were chosen to accompany a diplomatic trip to Tianjin, China, where the two learned how to draw mechanical blueprints from the Chinese Bureau of Machinery. Within this year-long mission, An and Cho picked up on Western technology and industrial painting styles. An continued to learn new painting methods when he visited Shanghai after the Tianjin diplomatic trip. Upon his return to Korea in 1892, he was designated the role of prefect of Jipyeong, then was promoted to governor of Ansan in 1894. In 1899, he returned to Shanghai and continued his study before there he moved to Gifu, Japan, for two years until his exile.

Political Positions

Upon his return from Japan, An continued to be promoted. From 1902 to 1907, he became the primary portraitist of the royal court. Along with that artistic title, he became the Tongjin County Magistrate, and climbed his way up to the Yangcheon County Magistrate. An continued to perform his duties for the Royal Court until the Japanese Empire invaded Korea in 1910 and dismantled the Korean Royal Academy of Painting in 1911.

Career

Gyeongmukdang

During the 1890s and 1900s, there was an influx of Japanese artists establishing schools in Korea to teach Japanese painting style nihonga (日本画, "Japanese-style paintings"). An was inspired by their habits, thus leading him to open up his own private atelier and teach young, prospering Korean painters. An’s private studio was called Gyeongmukdang (경묵당, also referred to as Gyeongmukheon 경묵헌; Gyeongmuk 耕墨 means “cultivating the ink”). He established this studio in 1901 after he returned from his exile in Japan. Gyeongmukdangwas established in his sarangbang (which translates to ‘love room’) but is defined as “the study and social area in a Korean traditional house where male scholars worked and received guests”. An’s private studio has been credited with being one of the most influential places to get an education on modern ink-wash painting. Besides an educational site, Gyeongmukdang was a social space where important figures would gather and appreciate the ‘traditional three arts’: poetry, calligraphy and painting. The Kyŏngsong School of Calligraphy and Painting (Gyeongseong-seohwa-misulwon 경성서화미술원 京城書畵美術院), one of the main paintings schools in Korea during the 1900s, took on Gyeongmukdang as an apprenticeship. Although Gyeongmukdang opened in 1901, An could not have begun teaching full-time until at least 1907 because of the political positions he held from 1902-1907.

Life as a Teacher

Alongside his private studio, An went on to act as a teacher at multiple art institutions. In 1911, literati artist Yun Yong-gi (1833–?) founded the Kyŏngsong School of Calligraphy and Painting (Gyeong-seong sŏhwa misulwŏn 경성서화미술원 京城書畵美術院) to train the newest up and coming painters in calligraphy and ink painting. The following year introduces the creation and opening of the Art Association of Calligraphy and Painting (Seohwa misulhoe 서화미술회 書畵美術會), which was established by the Kyŏngsong School of Calligraphy and Painting and overseen by the Office of the Yi Royal Family. With free tuition and a small founding class of 15 students, this smaller institution became the first school of ink painting and calligraphy in Korea. After 1916, due to the lack of records on Gyeongseong Art Academy, many assumed the academy to have merged with the Art Association of Calligraphy and Painting. The school was established to bring Korean art back to life after the Japanese invasion and colonization that occurred two years prior. Along with Cho Sokchim, An was one of the main teachers of this school. Other teachers include An’s and Cho’s disciples: Kang Jinhui (1851-1919), Jeong Daeyu (1852-1927), Kim Eungwon (1855-1921), Kang Pilju and Yi Do Yeong (1884-1933). The curriculum focused on traditional techniques taught by artists who made an impact on the art scene during the Chosŏn era. Alongside the traditional teaching on ink and calligraphy, An and Cho also taught students En plein air, or plein-air painting, which is the act of painting outdoors. An was a teacher who prioritized learning from the past more than assisting students in creating their own individual style. He also emphasized the importance of observing and drawing the “natural world”.

Students and Pupils

From Gyeongmukdang to the Kyŏngsong School of Calligraphy and Painting, An has acted as mentor for many key Korean artists. Lee Do-Yeong was An's first student, who he taught in Gyeongmukdang. Lee grew to become a well recognized painter and art teacher. At the Art Association of Calligraphy and Painting, An taught many recognizable names, such as Ko Hui Dong, who is credited with being Korea’s first oil painter and Yi Han-bok, a skillful nihonga artist. Out of all his pupils, An held a special place in his heart for Lee Sangboem. He called Lee one of his favorite mentees and gifted him with his pen name, Cheongjeon (청전). Other note-worthy students include O Ilyeong (1890-11960), Park Seungmu (1893-1980), ink painters Kim Eunho (1892–1979) and Yi Hanbok (1897–1940), who became influential teachers in nihonga during the 30’s, Yi Sangbŏm (1897–1972), No Suhyŏn (1899–1978), Choe Usŏk (1899–1964) and Yi Yongu(1902-1952), who all were important figures in Korean modern art.

Association of Painters and Calligraphers

From the Art Association of Calligraphy and Painting was the formation of the Association of Painters and Calligraphers (Sohwa Hyeophoe 서화협회), which was an artist organization composed of teachers and alumni from the Art Association of Calligraphy and Painting. Created in 1918, An, alongside Cho Sokchim and Go Hui Dong, established the organization to study European, Asian and modern art and develop past and present Korean art styles to resist the impact returning artists from Japan were bringing to the art scene in Korea. Some historians view this association as being an opponent to the Japanese government sponsored establishment Choson Art Exhibition (Choson misul chollamhoe 조선미술철람회), which was run and directed by Japanese judges, specifically professors from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, for Japanese artists to present their work. In the Association of Painters and Calligraphers, An assumed the role of president, w/ Go Hui Dong acting as secretary general. Other staff members include Kim Ŭng-wŏn (1855–1921), Kim Gyujin (김규진, 金奎鎭, 1868-1933) and O Sechang (1864-1953). For about a decade, this organization was one of the largest and was known for being one of the first art exhibitions established in Korea, hosting a total of 15 exhibitions. Despite the great initial opening in 1921 with the first ever exhibition, the association had a lack of funds and couldn’t publish catalogs and support artists, leading to it being closed in 1936. At his death, An was succeeded as president of the association by Jo Seok-jin.

Paintings

Boat to the Peach Blossom Land

Painted in the same year as Spring Dawn at Mt. Baegak, An takes a spin on his realistic perception of nature. In this mystical, dreamlike painting, An portrays the Daoist paradise of the Peach Blossom Land, which has been a highly glorified and appreciated East Asian art subject. Dating back to the 7^th and 8^th centuries, the Peach Blossom Land has been described to be a “mythic heavenly realm” that many people viewed as a utopia and wished to discover, only to realize it can only be obtained in their dreams.

A Cart by Maple Forest

This conceptual landscape painting was produced before the switch in how artists approached nature occurred in the late 19^th century. During this time, European techniques on naturalism and realism seeped into Korea and challenged the way artists viewed and depicted nature through art. A Cart by Maple Forest shows the traditional method of painting landscapes, creating the theme to feel a bit more mystical and projecting the final work on a scroll.

Art Style

An’s earlier style was very centered around nature - birds, flowers, animals, etc. His work was a fusion between traditional Joseon techniques and contemporary Chinese and Japanese styles. As he moved toward landscape paintings, An played around with making realistic, modern accurate depictions of the view he saw around him. Despite these modern experiments, he continued to make use of traditional  ink and light colors on paper and silk. An understood that the traditional ink painting methods of shading and brushwork were a perfect representation of traditional Korean art, where ink created from ink sticks and water for the purpose of calligraphy and painting is a centuries-long tradition. This can be seen in his famous Spring Dawn at Mt Baegak paintings. Poetic devices were also paired alongside to emphasize colonial rebellion. In the 19th century, An started to incorporate more Western techniques like linear perspective and chiaroscuro, the use of strong contrasts between light and dark.

Legacy

An was a very revolutionary and loved artist all throughout his career. He was favored by the royal court because they viewed him as a perfect example as artists who were able to maneuver the modern movement in their own original style. For instance, despite most of his artwork consisting of traditional Asian styles, he mentored Go Hui Dong, who went on to become the first Korean painter to study Western style of art, specifically oil painting. He was also known for changing the way in which Japanese and Korean artists interact. An and Cho interacted w/ Shimizu Toun (1868?-1929?), an underground Japanese artist who created the Korean division of the Joun-sha art society based in Tokyo. Shimizu, An and Cho bonded over their interest in calligraphy and ink painting. This alliance was rare since many Japanese artists residing in Korea did not interact with Korean artists, so this pairing has been marked as an important bridge between Japanese and Korean art scene. Historians even credited the success of many artists due to their time studying under An. “emerging artists… who had studied under An… became firmly established in the art world… serve as leaders in contemporary painting.” Love and admiration wasn't all An's passing was accompanied with. As a proof of his success in enforcing the new trends, he was, together with Jo Seok-jin, criticized one year after his death for "his paintings were conservative, lacking vitality and must be reborn" (Byeong Young-ro, Theory of Eastern Style Painting, 1920).