The Formation Of Korean Namjong Painting-on The Landscape Painting Style Of Xuan Zhai Shen Shizheng

Various styles of painting coexisted in the later period of the Joseon Dynasty(1608-1876),including the northern and southern styles of landscape painting.The Southern School's methods of painting,which were significantly influenced by Ming-Qing Dynasty landscape paintings from China,entered Korea in the middle period of the Joseon dynasty(1506-1637).By the late Joseon dynasty,the Southern School and its stylistic attributes rose in popularity and started to take on distinctly Korean characteristics,and became what is now considered ‘Joseon Namjonghwa,' the most important and representative style of painting in Korea's history.The artist Hyeon-jae Sim Sa-jung,known in Mandarin as Shen Shizheng,is the single most important figure in regards to Joseon Namjonghwa's development.He was born into a noble family,but after his father was found guilty of treason,his family went bankrupt.Because of this,he struggled to be an outstanding painter.He developed his incredible talent across all genres of painting,including landscape painting,flower and bird painting and figure painting.Shen was trained in the Southern School of painting,where a painter's education began with learning the foundation of different styles and how they may be utilized in the creation of the painter's own style.This process was not in pursuit of a unified idea of Joseon Namjonghwa;it accepted the reality of the unique differences between each student.By the late Joseon dynasty,Shen's school occupied the leading position within the field of painting in northern Korea,and also allowed Shen to influence and improve the southern style of which his practice originated.The two styles were very different and both exemplify Shen's creative contribution to Korean painting as a whole.This education is clearly divided into the early,middle and late stages of the development of style.Shen established his own school of painting as a northern offshoot of the Southern School,further emphasizing that each painter's style must express an individual point of view.This process was not in pursuit of a unified idea of Joseon Namjonghwa;it accepted the reality of the unique differences between each student.By the late Joseon dynasty,Shen's school occupied the leading position within the field of painting in northern Korea,and also allowed Shen to influence and improve the southern style of which his practice originated.The two styles were very different and both exemplify Shen's creative contribution to Korean painting as a whole.This article will examine the history and artistic qualities of Southern Schools of painting through the context of Shen's life and work,as well as illuminating Shen's distinct approach to style and composition,in order to understand the development of Joseon Namjonghwa.