Kim Hong-do

Kim Hongdo (, 1745–) was a Korean painter during the Joseon dynasty. He is mostly remembered for his depictions of the everyday life of ordinary people, in a manner analogous to painters of the Dutch Golden Age. He was also widely known by his art name Tanwŏn .

Active during the reign of King Yeongjo and King Jeongjo, he made a profound change in Joseon painting style. By boldly introducing Western painting methods that appeared to have been learned through the Qing Dynasty, he introduced a technique that revealed perspective through jokes and contrasts of colors.

Biography Kim was a member of the Gimhae Kim clan. He grew up in present-day Ansan, South Korea. At the age of 7, Kim Hongdo studied under the renowned master Pyoam Kang Sehwang, who was then living in seclusion in Ansan. In 1766, at the age of 21, on the recommendation of Kang Sehwang, he entered the royal service as a member (hwawon) of the Dohwaseo, the official painters of the Joseon court. In 1771, he painted the portrait of the Royal Heir (the future King Jeongjo). In 1773, he assisted Byeon Sang-byeok when painting the Royal Portrait of King Yeongjo (1694–1724–1776).

In 1776, he painted the "Nineteen Taoist Immortals", that skyrocketed his reputation as a painter. At the same time, the new instated King Jeongjo (1752–1776–1800) commissioned him for many institutional paintings.

He died in loneliness and poverty, though the circumstances, and even the year are unknown. Depending on the source, some state that he died in 1806, or after 1814.

Gallery Various sources have various opinions about what could be a 'top ten' list for Kim Hongdo. The Korean Copyright Commission lists 757 paintings, 7 calligraphies and 4 moldings for Kim Hongdo. Some paintings have multiple descriptions: often a sepia version is given with a very fine resolution, and a colorful one with a lower resolution. An example is "Feast for the Pyongyang Governor" (평양감사 향안도).

The paintings that launched the reputation of Kim Hongdo.

'Literati' paintings.

Official paintings

The designated painter of the King

"Genre paintings". Among them, the album Danwon pungsokdo provides a serie of 25 paintings. Here are only four of them:

After 1800 and the death of King Jeongjo.

In popular culture Literature The novel Painter of the Wind, by Lee Jung-myung, is centered on Gim and Sin Yun-bok, who is portrayed as a woman disguised as a man.

Film and television Portrayed by Park Shin-yang in the 2008 SBS TV series Painter of the Wind. Portrayed by Kim Young-ho in the 2008 film Portrait of a Beauty. Portrayed by Kim Da-hyun in the 2011 SBS TV series Warrior Baek Dong-soo.