Inwang jesaekdo

Jeong Seon employs bold, sweeping brushstrokes to delineate the distant mountains, while finer, textured lines render foreground trees and structures. The limited palette of black ink and varying tonal washes creates depth through contrast, a hallmark of the true‑view (jingyeong) landscape tradition that favors realistic observation over idealized scenery.

Created during King Yeongjo’s reign, the piece remained in private hands for centuries, eventually entering the collection of industrialist Lee Kun‑hee. After his death in 2020, it was bequeathed to the National Museum of Korea, though it is presently conserved and displayed by the Ho‑Am Art Museum in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

Inwangjesaekdo exemplifies Jeong Seon’s pioneering shift toward depicting Korean topography from direct observation, a departure from earlier Chinese‑inspired models. Its designation as National Treasure No. 216 in 1984 underscores its cultural significance, and the work continues to inform studies of Joseon‑era ink painting and the development of native landscape aesthetics.