The National Museum of Korea is displaying flower paintings at the museum’s Calligraphy and Painting gallery, which is located in the second floor of the museum’s permanent exhibition hall. This spring, go and see pieces by Joseon Dynasty painters Nam Gye-U and Shin Myeongyeon.

Nam Gye-U (1811-1888)

Butterflies and Flowers, 19th century Joseon

Nam Gye-U, a descendant of the scholar and calligrapher Nam Gu-man, was the leading butterfly painter of the day, which earned him the nickname Namnabi, "nabi" being the Korean word for butterfly. Though he sometimes painted landscapes, butterflies were his favorite subject and he painted them in a sensitive, realistic way. These two works painted in the same form are each divided into three parts; a kind of introduction to the work at the top, a group of fluttering butterflies in the middle, and peonies at the bottom. The artist's skill is superbly demonstrated in the clear, bright colors, and the sensitive realistically drawn flowers and butterflies.

Shin Myeong-yeon (1809-1886)

Flower painting, 19th century Joseon

Shin Myeong-yeon was the second son of Shin Wi, one of the famed painters of the Joseon Dynasty. He passed the state examination for military officials at an early age, and after serving in various posts he was appointed to the position of magistrate. Skilled in the arts of poetry, calligraphy and painting, he produced many paintings of flowering plants and bamboo. His landscapes are in the style of the Northern School rather than the more common Southern School. His bamboo paintings echo the style of his father, though they are not quite the same level. Shin is mostly known for his paintings of flowering plants featuring fresh colors and unique depiction. The works in his album of Flowering Plants and Landscapes are highly sophisticated, and depict a variety of flowers that dominate the composition with their size.

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