Kim Jeong-hui (pen name: Chusa), who was born into one of Joseon's most prestigious families, enjoyed a smooth path before being exiled to Jeju in his mid-50s and living a turbulent life. Even in the solitude of exile, he never put down his brush. An exhibition will shed light on his life and relationships from multiple angles, showing how he completed both his scholarship and his art.

The National Museum of Korea will present its third themed exhibition, "Kim Jeong-hui and His Companions," in the painting and calligraphy gallery on the second floor of its permanent exhibition hall. The show features Chusa's late masterpieces, including "Buliseonrando," "Pair of Couplets on Coral and Jade Vase," and "Inscription on the Portrait of Monk Haebung Daesa," along with six works being shown to the public for the first time. It explores the people with whom Chusa formed ties and how those relationships expanded his world of scholarship and art.

The first works to draw attention are the late masterpieces selected as "Masterpieces of the Season." The treasure-designated "Buliseonrando" depicts orchids with bold, unrestrained brushwork. It embodies the ideal of unity between painting and writing. Chusa originally intended to give the work to his disciple Daljun, but he wrote directly on the piece that his student O Sosan liked it so much that he took it by force after seeing it. The note offers a glimpse of Chusa's informal and open relationship with his students and friends.

In "Inscription on the Portrait of Monk Haebung Daesa," completed at age 71, one can appreciate the depth and strength of his regular script, stripped down to its essential bones. In 1815, when he was 30, Chusa visited the monk Haebung Daesa to discuss Buddhism, and the two maintained their connection afterward. Later, Haebung Daesa's disciple, Monk Houn, completed a portrait of his teacher and asked Chusa to write an inscription. Chusa accepted the request five months before his death. The relationship, sustained over many years, was preserved in a single portrait and inscription.

"Pair of Couplets on Coral and Jade Vase," written in the same year, shows Chusa's calligraphy from his later years. The work is written in running script and describes precious objects such as a coral brush holder and a jade-colored vase. Although it was created shortly before his death, the brushwork is vigorous and the characters flow gracefully. It reflects the maturity he had reached in his final years.

The exhibition also unveils six works for the first time, offering a fresh look at Chusa's life. In "Letter Sent to a Military Official in Hwanghae-do," written when he was 34, he mentions his father's appointment as Minister of Rites and his own success in the civil service examination. It reveals the excitement of the young Chusa as he entered official life after passing the exam. Also on display for the first time is "Giyu Sixteen Poem Album," in which he composed poems for a painting by Qing literatus O Seung-ryang.

"Seoknosicheop," written when he was around 68, is also being shown publicly for the first time. This was the period when Chusa was exiled to Bukcheong, Hamgyeong-do. There, he discovered a stone arrowhead known as "Seokno." Unlike the prevailing view at the time that it was a supernatural object or a medicinal ingredient, he examined historical records and verified it as an artifact of the Suksin people. "Seoknosicheop" shows how Chusa continued his scholarship even in exile, while also revealing the characteristics of his late-style calligraphy.

His letters reveal a more human side of Chusa. At 33, he expressed disappointment that his wife had not sent him any news. At 34, he shared the joy of passing the civil service exam. At 60, he mourned his sister's death from his place of exile. Even Chusa, remembered as a master, had ordinary days filled with concern, joy, and grief for his family. His letters show him as a human being.

What broadened Chusa's scholarly world was his exchange with literati from the Qing dynasty. He delved deeply into epigraphy, the study of inscriptions on ancient steles and metal objects, and achieved major results, including identifying the stele at Bibong Peak on Bukhansan Mountain as the Monument on Bukhansan Mountain Commemorating the Border Inspection by King Jinheung of Silla, Seoul. Visitors can also see the "Mujangsa Amitabha Buddha Construction Stele," which records how he discovered the monument and his reflections on it. The stele, created by Queen Gyehwa, consort of King Soseong of Unified Silla, to pray for the king's repose and inscribed with related details, was recognized by the Qing scholar Weng Fanggang for the value of its inscription.

"Portrait of Su Shi in a Bamboo Hat" is also being shown for the first time, highlighting Chusa's ties with Qing literati. Chinese painter Zhu Huanian sent Chusa a painting of Su Shi, and Weng Fanggang, Ruan Yuan, Li Yinsong, and Weng Shukun, all of whom had connections with Chusa, added their own written appreciations. It is a record of Joseon and Qing literati exchanging thoughts and impressions through a single painting.

His art was passed on to his disciples as well. Works donated by the late Lee Kun-hee, former chairman of Samsung Group, including Heo Ryeon's "Landscape in the Style of Yuan Dynasty Painter Ni Zan" and Lee Ha-eung's "Album of Ink Orchid Paintings," are being exhibited for the first time since their donation. By placing works by later artists who inherited Chusa's artistic vision alongside his own, the exhibition shows how his artistic world was carried into the next generation. Around Chusa, whose life was full of twists and turns, were friends, disciples, monks, and literati. The ties formed through letters, paintings, books, and steles made his scholarship and art broader and deeper. This exhibition presents his life and art anew by tracing not only the works he left behind, but also the traces of the people who stood beside him. The exhibition runs through Nov. 22.

[Jung Yoo-jung]

This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.