Plum Blossom by Oh Dal-je

In 1636, the Qing Dynasty invaded Joseon and forcibly enacted a peace agreement. Oh Dal-je (1609-1637) strongly opposed this agreement, so he was taken back to the Qing, where he was tortured and coerced. But he refused to surrender his will, and was eventually executed. The colophon written at the top of this painting by Oh includes poems written by King Sukjong (r. 1674-1720) and King Yeongjo (r. 1725-1776). The plum blossom is painted with somewhat thick lines of light ink, reflecting the “boneless” painting technique that avoids the use of solid lines. Thus, the work is not only exceptional from a technical standpoint, but Oh’s vital spirit that is evident from his adept application of energetic strokes.