An Jung-sik

An Jung-sik was born in Seoul and studied painting under Jang Seung-eop (1843-1897), pen name Owon (오원), a 19th century artist known for his incredible ink painting capabilities and overall well-roundedness in an array of painting styles. After practicing and learning under Jang, An joined the Royal Bureau of Painting (Dohwaseo, Korean: 도화서, Hanja: 圖畵署). An became well acquainted with Jo Seok-jin (조석진, 趙錫晋, 1853-1920), another painter who was also working for the Royal Joseon court.[2] Both painters were highly praised and respected for their contributions to royal art. In 1881, An and Cho were chosen to accompany a diplomatic trip to Tianjin, China, where the two learned how to draw mechanical blueprints from the Chinese Bureau of Machinery. Within this year-long mission, An and Cho picked up on Western technology and industrial painting styles.[2][3][4] An continued to learn new painting methods when he visited Shanghai after the Tianjin diplomatic trip. Upon his return to Korea in 1892, he was designated the role of prefect of Jipyeong, then was promoted to governor of Ansan in 1894. In 1899, he returned to Shanghai and continued his study before there he moved to Gifu, Japan, for two years until his exile.[4][5]

Upon his return from Japan, An continued to be promoted. From 1902 to 1907, he became the primary portraitist of the royal court. Along with that artistic title, he became the Tongjin County Magistrate, and climbed his way up to the Yangcheon County Magistrate.[5] An continued to perform his duties for the Royal Court until the Japanese Empire invaded Korea in 1910 and dismantled the Korean Royal Academy of Painting in 1911.

During the 1890s and 1900s, there was an influx of Japanese artists establishing schools in Korea to teach Japanese painting style nihonga (日本画, "Japanese-style paintings"). An was inspired by their habits, thus leading him to open up his own private atelier and teach young, prospering Korean painters.[3] An’s private studio was called Gyeongmukdang (경묵당, also referred to as Gyeongmukheon 경묵헌; Gyeongmuk 耕墨 means “cultivating the ink”). He established this studio in 1901 after he returned from his exile in Japan. Gyeongmukdang was established in his sarangbang (which translates to ‘love room’) but is defined as “the study and social area in a Korean traditional house where male scholars worked and received guests”.[5] An’s private studio has been credited with being one of the most influential places to get an education on modern ink-wash painting. Besides an educational site, Gyeongmukdang was a social space where important figures would gather and appreciate the ‘traditional three arts’: poetry, calligraphy and painting. The Kyŏngsong School of Calligraphy and Painting (Gyeongseong-seohwa-misulwon 경성서화미술원 京城書畵美術院), one of the main paintings schools in Korea during the 1900s, took on Gyeongmukdang as an apprenticeship. Although Gyeongmukdang opened in 1901, An could not have begun teaching full-time until at least 1907 because of the political positions he held from 1902-1907.[5]

Alongside his private studio, An went on to act as a teacher at multiple art institutions. In 1911, literati artist Yun Yong-gi (1833–?) founded the Kyŏngsong School of Calligraphy and Painting (Gyeong-seong sŏhwa misulwŏn 경성서화미술원 京城書畵美術院) to train the newest up and coming painters in calligraphy and ink painting. The following year introduces the creation and opening of the Art Association of Calligraphy and Painting (Seohwa misulhoe 서화미술회 書畵美術會), which was established by the Kyŏngsong School of Calligraphy and Painting and overseen by the Office of the Yi Royal Family. With free tuition and a small founding class of 15 students, this smaller institution became the first school of ink painting and calligraphy in Korea. After 1916, due to the lack of records on Gyeongseong Art Academy, many assumed the academy to have merged with the Art Association of Calligraphy and Painting.[5] The school was established to bring Korean art back to life after the Japanese invasion and colonization that occurred two years prior. Along with Cho Sokchim, An was one of the main teachers of this school. Other teachers include An’s and Cho’s disciples: Kang Jinhui (1851-1919), Jeong Daeyu (1852-1927), Kim Eungwon (1855-1921), Kang Pilju and Yi Do Yeong (1884-1933).[6] The curriculum focused on traditional techniques taught by artists who made an impact on the art scene during the Chosŏn era. Alongside the traditional teaching on ink and calligraphy, An and Cho also taught students En plein air, or plein-air painting, which is the act of painting outdoors.[2] An was a teacher who prioritized learning from the past more than assisting students in creating their own individual style. He also emphasized the importance of observing and drawing the “natural world”.[5]

From Gyeongmukdang to the Kyŏngsong School of Calligraphy and Painting, An has acted as mentor for many key Korean artists. Lee Do-Yeong was An's first student, who he taught in Gyeongmukdang. Lee grew to become a well recognized painter and art teacher. At the Art Association of Calligraphy and Painting, An taught many recognizable names, such as Ko Hui Dong, who is credited with being Korea’s first oil painter and Yi Han-bok, a skillful nihonga artist.[2][3][5] Out of all his pupils, An held a special place in his heart for Lee Sangboem. He called Lee one of his favorite mentees and gifted him with his pen name, Cheongjeon (청전).[4] Other note-worthy students include O Ilyeong (1890-11960), Park Seungmu (1893-1980), ink painters Kim Eunho (1892–1979) and Yi Hanbok (1897–1940), who became influential teachers in nihonga during the 30’s, Yi Sangbŏm (1897–1972), No Suhyŏn (1899–1978), Choe Usŏk (1899–1964) and Yi Yongu (1902-1952), who all were important figures in Korean modern art.[2][6]

From the Art Association of Calligraphy and Painting was the formation of the Association of Painters and Calligraphers (Sohwa Hyeophoe 서화협회), which was an artist organization composed of teachers and alumni from the Art Association of Calligraphy and Painting. Created in 1918, An, alongside Cho Sokchim and Go Hui Dong, established the organization to study European, Asian and modern art and develop past and present Korean art styles to resist the impact returning artists from Japan were bringing to the art scene in Korea. Some historians view this association as being an opponent to the Japanese government sponsored establishment Choson Art Exhibition (Choson misul chollamhoe 조선미술철람회), which was run and directed by Japanese judges, specifically professors from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, for Japanese artists to present their work.[3] In the Association of Painters and Calligraphers, An assumed the role of president, w/ Go Hui Dong acting as secretary general. Other staff members include Kim Ŭng-wŏn (1855–1921), Kim Gyujin (김규진, 金奎鎭, 1868-1933) and O Sechang (1864-1953). For about a decade, this organization was one of the largest and was known for being one of the first art exhibitions established in Korea, hosting a total of 15 exhibitions. Despite the great initial opening in 1921 with the first ever exhibition, the association had a lack of funds and couldn’t publish catalogs and support artists, leading to it being closed in 1936.[2] At his death, An was succeeded as president of the association by Jo Seok-jin.

An Jung-sik died in 1919. As a proof of his success in enforcing the new trends, he was, together with Jo Seok-jin, criticised one year later for "his paintings were conservative, lacking vitality and must be reborn" (Byeong Young-ro, Theory of Eastern Style Painting, 1920).[7]

Among An Jung-sik's main works, is the twofold painting: "Spring Dawn at Mt. Baegak" (Baegakchunhyo, 백악춘효), Registered Cultural Heritage No. 485. Drawing several views of the same landscape according to the seasons (chun=spring, ha, chu, dong) is a recurrent theme across the centuries (e.g. the famous Eight views of the Four Seasons by An Gyeon).

But this twofold painting is slightly different. One panel is '여름본' Summer (more yellow tone, with two tigers), the other is '가을본' Fall (more brown tone, with only one tiger). Both can be seen at National Museum of Korea. First of all, this painting is remarquable by the way it mixes composition and strokes from the traditional Joseon heritage with the Western trends, especially the use of perspective (mathematical projective geometry).[8]

Gwanghwamun rebuild,
the main gate of
the Gyeongbok Palace

Summer

Fall

Baegakchunhyo
Registered Cultural Heritage No. 485.

On the upper left corner of the yellow tone painting, one can read the Chinese inscription '白岳春曉' (=백악춘효) meaning 'Dawn of Spring facing Mount Baekak'. Next to it, a little smaller, is written 乙卯 夏日 (=을묘하일, Eul-myo Ha-il) i.e. summer 1915, followed by '心田安中植' (=심전 안중식) i.e. An Jung-sik. On the brown tone painting, the second part of inscription is modified into 乙卯 秋日 (=을묘추일, Eul-myo Chu-il) i.e. autumn 1915.

This raise the question: why does the painter wrote down 'Eulmyo in the fall' on the painted work 'Springtime dawn of Baekak'?.[9] An answer can be found in the fact that in 1915, a 'Korea Trade Fair' was held on the premise of the Gyeongbok Palace by the Japanese Government-General. This leads to the demolition of many buildings in the palace complex, preparing the erection (1916-1926) of the massive Japanese General Government Building. In this context, Mount Baekak and even the Gwanghwamun Gate were only a pretext, the true topic being the destruction of the right 'tiger' in the frontview. This 'tiger' was not a simple decorative bloc of stone, but an haetae 해태, i.e. a mythical creature serving as a fengshui guardian against natural disasters and a symbol of law and order. In this case, the two-fold painting was about Summer and Fall of the invaded Korea.

Painted in the same year as Spring Dawn at Mt. Baegak, An takes a spin on his realistic perception of nature. In this mystical, dreamlike painting, An portrays the Daoist paradise of the Peach Blossom Land, which has been a highly glorified and appreciated East Asian art subject.[4] Dating back to the 7^th and 8^th centuries, the Peach Blossom Land has been described to be a “mythic heavenly realm” that many people viewed as a utopia and wished to discover, only to realize it can only be obtained in their dreams.[10]

This conceptual landscape painting was produced before the switch in how artists approached nature occurred in the late 19^th century. During this time, European techniques on naturalism and realism seeped into Korea and challenged the way artists viewed and depicted nature through art. A Cart by Maple Forest shows the traditional method of painting landscapes, creating the theme to feel a bit more mystical and projecting the final work on a scroll.[5]

An’s earlier style was very centered around nature - birds, flowers, animals, etc. His work was a fusion between traditional Joseon techniques and contemporary Chinese and Japanese styles. As he moved toward landscape paintings, An played around with making realistic, modern accurate depictions of the view he saw around him. Despite these modern experiments, he continued to make use of traditional  ink and light colors on paper and silk. An understood that the traditional ink painting methods of shading and brushwork were a perfect representation of traditional Korean art, where ink created from ink sticks and water for the purpose of calligraphy and painting is a centuries-long tradition.[4] This can be seen in his famous Spring Dawn at Mt Baegak paintings. Poetic devices were also paired alongside to emphasize colonial rebellion.[3] In the 19th century, An started to incorporate more Western techniques like linear perspective and chiaroscuro, the use of strong contrasts between light and dark.[2]