Ch'oe Puk

Ch'oe Puk
Korean name
Hangul
최북
Hanja
崔北
RRChoe Buk
MRCh'oe Puk
Art name
Hangul
호생관, 삼기재, 거기재
Hanja
毫生館, 三奇齋, 居其齋
RRHosaenggwan, Samgijae, Geogijae
MRHosaenggwan, Samgijae, Kŏgijae
Courtesy name
Hangul
성기, 유용
Hanja
聖器, 有用
RRSeonggi, Yuyong
MRSŏnggi, Yuyong

Ch'oe Puk (Korean: 최북; fl. 1712–1760), was a Korean painter of the late Joseon period. He used many art names including Samgijae, Hosaenggwan, Songjae, Kiam, and Kŏgijae.

Biography

His childhood remains unknown, as well as the social status of his family. The Grove says 'floruit c. 1755–85'.

He was known as a skilled landscape painter, but also drew portraits, flowers and animals. Legend tells of a powerful aristocrat that forced him to draw, but Ch'oe refused to do so and as a result had one eye pierced, leading to the loss sight in that eye.

He was known to have traveled in Japan and was known to Zheng Zhilong's family; painting an image of Zheng's wife and their son Koxinga. The original returned to Korea with Ch'oe, but a copy was kept with the family and was later emulated by Pak Chega.

His living situation became increasingly difficult, so he made a living by wandering around town and selling paintings. On the spot, he drew pictures at the request of others and received money for them, but the price was not set. When a requester offered Ch'oe a small amount of money for one of his fine works, he would become so angry that he would scream and tear up the painting.

However, to those who were willing to pay a lot of money for his low-quality works, Ch'oe mocked them and ordered them to take them immediately, saying: “That fool doesn’t even know the value of paintings."

Style and Galleries

Ch'oe Puk engraved his name and pen name in the center of the painting. He was acquainted with Kim Hong-do, Kim Tŭksin, Yi In-mun, but his works are dissimilar to theirs.

Pyohun Temple at Diamond Mountains

The Korean Copyright Commission lists 20 paintings for Ch'oe Puk, while Towooart gives a short notice.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Turner 2003, p. (07)184
  2. ↑ "Painter Choe Buk". Naenara. May 29, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021. He was good at drawing portraits, landscapes, flowers and animals. He was so skillful in drawing landscapes that he was nicknamed "landscape painter Choe". [...] Poor as he was, he liked drawing beautiful scenery of the country, but he never drew pictures pleasing the feudal ruling circles.
  3. ↑ Park, J.P. (2018). A New Middle Kingdom: Painting and Cultural Politics in Late Chosŏn Korea (1700–1850). University of Washington Press. p. 296. ISBN 978-0295743264.
  4. 1 2 "LIFE OF A JOSEON GOVERNMENT ARTIST: SOCIAL STATUS, CREATIVE DRIVE AND DRINKING HABITS". National Museum of Korea. January 2012.
  5. ↑ "공유마당 > 이미지검색". gongu.copyright.or.kr. Retrieved 27 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. ↑ http://www.towooart.com/oldart/old_korea/choibuk/choibuk.htm (in Korean)

Bibliography