Designated as National Treasure No. 3320, the portrait of Yi Jehyeon (1287–1367) is a rare and invaluable painting depicting one of Goryeo’s most eminent scholars and literary figures. Painted in the Yuan dynasty and later brought to Goryeo, the work stands as an important visual testament to intellectual culture and interstate exchange in East Asia during the late medieval period.
In the portrait, Yi Jehyeon is shown seated with his hands folded, wearing a black headcloth (geon) and a scholar’s robe (simui). Rendered as a full-length seated figure, his posture and attire embody the formal dignity of a Confucian scholar, visually conveying his intellectual stature and moral authority. His face bears a soft pinkish tone with minimal shading, reflecting the restrained pictorial style characteristic of Yuan dynasty portraiture.
Yi Jehyeon’s life itself symbolizes scholarly exchange between Goryeo and the Yuan. Born in Gyeongju, with the courtesy name Jungsa, the pen names Ikjae and Yeokong, and the posthumous title Mun-chung, he was one of Goryeo’s leading literary figures. He played a key role in introducing Neo-Confucian learning and popularizing the calligraphic style of Zhao Mengfu. After placing first in the State Academy examination at the age of fifteen, he later traveled to Dadu at the summons of King Chungseon, where he broadened his intellectual horizons through the study of classical texts alongside prominent Chinese scholars such as Yao Shu, Yan Fu, and Zhao Mengfu.
At the top of the painting are inscriptions consisting of Yi Jehyeon’s own self-written encomium and poem composed twenty-one years later, along with a poem by the contemporary literary figure Tang Binglong. In his inscription, Yi Jehyeon records that while attending King Chungseon in the Hangzhou region, he commissioned the Yuan painter Zhen Ganru to produce the portrait and requested Tang Binglong to compose its encomium. These texts go beyond personal record, offering rare insight into the circumstances and cultural context of portrait production at the time.
The composition of the painting is equally symbolic. To Yi Jehyeon’s left stands a lacquered table holding the Book of Changes (Zhouyi) and ancient bronze vessels. This arrangement visually signifies both his profound learning and reverence for the classical tradition, simultaneously reflecting the scholarly ideals of Goryeo intellectuals and their engagement with Yuan literati culture.
The exposure of the tip of the right thumb is a characteristic feature of Chinese portrait painting, indicating that the work was executed by a Chinese artist rather than in a native Goryeo style. Yet the portrait faithfully captures the facial features and identity of a Goryeo scholar, underscoring its value as a historical artifact shaped through cultural interaction between the two societies.
The portrait of Yi Jehyeon is also significant as the earliest extant painted portrait of an individual from the Goryeo period. Created amid active exchange between Goryeo and the Yuan, the work serves as a crucial link connecting the intellectual communities and art histories of East Asia.
Through its color palette, composition, and symbolic objects, the painting demonstrates an acceptance of Yuan pictorial techniques while maintaining a distinct Goryeo identity. Rather than mere imitation or passive adoption of foreign styles, it represents the formation of a new visual language born from cultural convergence.
Viewed today, the portrait offers vivid insight into the international stature, scholarly achievement, and cultural confidence of Goryeo intellectuals. At the same time, it allows contemporary audiences to visually experience the historical process through which East Asian scholarship and painting evolved through mutual influence.
The portrait of Yi Jehyeon now stands as a cornerstone for understanding intellectual exchange in East Asia. Rendered by a Yuan painter yet devoted to a Goryeo scholar, the work transcends time and place, conveying the enduring value and meaning of cultural heritage to the present day.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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