Jo Hee-ryong
Poster - Red and white plum blossoms
Poster - Red and white plum blossoms
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Poster - Red and white plum blossoms
With this framed poster - Red and White Plum Blossoms you can make a striking statement in any room. Printed on high quality thick matte paper.
• Paper weight: 189 g/m²
• 0,26 mm (10,3 mil) dick
• Black and white semi-hard alder frame
• Solid oak frame
• Front protection film made of acrylite
• Including hanging fitting
• 21 × 30 cm posters are A4 size
• Raw product components in the USA from Japan and the USA
• Raw product components in the EU from Japan and Latvia
To attach the hooks to 24" x 36" horizontal frames:
If you are hanging the poster horizontally, place each of the mounting hooks 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the frame corners.
The Red and White Plums: A Masterpiece of Korean Joseon Art
- Alternative title: Hongbaekmaehwa-do (홍백매화도)
- Nationality/Epoch: Korea, Joseon Dynasty
- Material: Paper
- Artist: Jo Hee-ryong (조희룡, 1789–1866)
- Category: Cultural assets – calligraphy and painting – general painting
- Dimensions: Height 124.8cm, Width 46.4cm x 8 panels
- Collection number: Deoksu 1155
Jo Hee-ryong, a renowned artist of the late Joseon period, impressed with his exceptional skills in poetry, calligraphy, and painting. Particularly, his depictions of plum blossoms stand out among his numerous works and are considered especially productive and recognized. His fascination with this motif was impressively captured in his writings, especially in the Seokwoo Mangnyeonrok.
A Blooming Vision: The Red and White Plums
The painting Red and White Plums is a remarkable folding screen painting that showcases the fragile beauty of plum blossoms in full bloom. On eight panels, intertwined branches unfold, adorned with bright red and white flowers. These dynamic and curved branches give the artwork a vibrant movement and liveliness.
The painting draws the viewer's attention from the trees themselves to the blossoms that take center stage. The contrasts between the red and white flowers symbolize the harmony and duality of nature, reflecting a timeless aesthetic celebrated in East Asian art.
The transition to color
In the late Joseon period, the depiction of plum blossoms in Korean painting underwent a significant transformation. While earlier works were often monochrome (Muk-mae, 묵매 墨梅) and highlighted the simple elegance of the branches, artists like Jo Hee-ryong increasingly infused color into their works under the influence of the vibrant aesthetics of the Qing Dynasty.
The Red and White Plums is an outstanding example of this change. By using bold reds and whites, Jo breathed new life into his blooms. The conscious use of color highlights the dynamism and liveliness of the work of art and emphasizes the interplay of light and vitality over the simplicity of the branches.
A fusion of calligraphy and painting
The inscription by Jo Hee-ryong on the painting testifies to his distinctive approach. He emphasized that his representations of plum blossoms did not follow traditional painting theories or techniques. Instead, his style was deeply rooted in calligraphy, particularly in the smooth forms of Jeonseu (전서) and Yeseu (예서).
This fusion of the arts gives the painting a rhythmic dynamism, where the blossoms appear like characters of a poetic script. Jo compared the scattered flowers to "patterns spilled from the Milky Way" or "a swarm of colorful butterflies that have escaped from Mount Nafu (결부산)." Such poetic descriptions emphasize the transcendent beauty of his work, which unites nature and imagination.
A lasting legacy
The Red and White Plums is more than a work of art - it is a tribute to the fleeting beauty of nature and the artist's limitless creativity. By combining traditional Korean art with Qing Dynasty influences, Jo Hee-ryong created a timeless masterpiece that is admired to this day.
