Yeongjoeojin

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.932

Category

Painting

Era

조선시대

Designated year

1987

Location

종로구, 서울특별시— 서울 종로구 효자로 12, 국립고궁박물관 (세종로,국립고궁박물관)

Coordinates

37.576571, 126.974851

This is a portrait of King Yeongjo (1694-1776), the 21st ruler of the Joseon Dynasty who ruled from 1724 to 1776. King Yeongjo adopted “a policy of impartiality” to appoint talented officials from various political parties and establish social and political order once he assumed the throne. As a result of his effort and his own devotion to learning, the Joseon Dynasty enjoyed renaissance under his rule. The original version of this portrait was painted by Jang Gyeong-ju and Kim Du-ryang in 1744 (20th year of King Yeongjo’s reign) when the king was 51 years old but was unfortunately burnt during the Korean War. This portrait is a copy made by the most skillful artists in the 1900s and is 68 cm wide and 110 cm long. In this half-length portrait, King Yeongjo is staring at the right side, wearing a winged cap and a red robe over his shoulders. The robe is embroidered with dragon designs on the shoulders and chest parts. He has flushed cheeks, and his eyes are looking up. His high-bridged nose and its edges and the ends of the lips are straight, like a sculpture. Following the style of that time, the contour lines of the robes are not drawn separately, and the ornamental belt is painted on the upper part of the chest. Though this is not the original portrait of King Yeongjo, it is one of the significant royal portraits remaining today.

Location