Portrait of Yi Saek (Seoul)

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Portrait of Yi Saek

Yi Saek (1328-1396), whose penname was Mogeun, is a renowned scholar who lived at the end of the Goryeo period (9181-1392). In 1341, at the age of 14, he became a Jinsa (literary licentiate - someone holding a degree from a European university), and in 1348 he went to the Yuan Dynasty where he studied Neo-Confucianism at the National Academy and served in the Royal Academy of Letters. Upon his return home, he sought to promote and develop Neo-Confucianism, as well as to reform national defense, educational and gwageo (civil service examination) systems, among other things.

According to a note by Heo Mok, a 17th century scholar, there were two portraits of Yi Saek, one in official uniform and the other in everyday clothing, but only the one in uniform has survived. Two portraits are enshrined here. The larger one is a full portrait of Yi Sack seated on a chair and wearing a silk officials hat, a belt made of water buffalo horn and a reddish outer gown. The note in the upper right hand corner was written by Gwon Kim, a contemporary of Yi Saek, but the portrait is not the original one painted during Yi Saek's time but a copy made in 1711. The smaller copy is believed to have been painted in 1654.

Overall, Yi’s image is rendered with powerful brushstrokes while the face is delicately rendered to create a scholarly presence. The white beard and spots on his face reveal Yi Seak to be in the autumn of his life.

Although both paintings are copies made at a later date, they are a valuable source of information for the study of Joseon and Goryeo paintings because they are faithful replicas of Goryeo paintings made during the Joseon period. They are also noteworthy because the subject of the portrait was a historically significant person.

Portrait of Yi Saek is Treasure #1215.