Portrait of King Ikjong (Crown Prince Hyomyeong)

This is the portrait of Crown Prince Hyomyeong, the son of King Sunjo. He was appointed as the crown prince in 1812, the 12th year of King Sunjo’s reign, and tried to hire qualified talent and take care of the people while substituting for King Sunjo in 1827, the 27th year of King Sunjo’s reign, but the crown prince died suddenly in 1830. After his son ascended the throne as King Heonjong, he was honored posthumously as King Ikjong. On the upper right corner of the screen the phrase “翼宗敦文顯武仁懿孝明大王十八歲御眞”is written, meaning “this portrait was painted in 1826, the 26th year of King Sunjo’s reign, when King Ikjong was at the age of eighteen.”According to the records of Emperor Gojong’s reign, the four portraits of King Munjo were enshrined at Gyeongmogung Shrine, Gyeongungung Shrine, and the Royal Portraits Hall at Changdeokgung Palace, Palace of Illustrious Virtue, and three of them were produced in1826. The title “Portrait of Emperor Ikjong”next to the phrase was added after King Ikjong (or King Munjo) was honored as emperor during the Korean Empire. The king in the portrait is sitting on a chair with long legs in formal attire. As more than half of the screen is missing, it is difficult to identify the exact pose but the king is sitting with the left side of his face slightly shown. The various colorful patterns, and delicate twists of the thread of the black robe are depicted with sophistication. To enhance the three-dimensional effect, the folds in the clothing are drawn in lines, around which are softly shaded.