Landscape with two figures

Originally an album leaf, this work was later mounted on a hanging scroll. Jeong Seon enjoyed a towering reputation as a landscape painter during the 1700s in Korea and his works were in great demand. They also inspired many of his younger contemporaries. Jeong’s skillful manipulation of brush and ink can be glimpsed in the tall pine tree in the foreground, but the painting in general seems to be more conceptual, depicting an idealized scene, than the “true view” type of landscapes the artist was known for. The painting bears Jeong’s most frequently used pen name, Gyeomjae.