Wolyeotakgeumdo (Painting of Woman Washing Silk in a Brook in the Moonlight)
Lee Jaekwan
light coloring in Indian ink on paper
Late Joseon dynasty
63cm x 129cm

Whereas he was not from noble family, Lee Jaekwan(1783~1838) kept company with painters like Kim Yangki, son of Kim Hongdo, Kang Jin, Jo Heeryong. With his accomplishment in the national painting project, such as the portrait of a king, in which he participated as an outside painter, he obtained a government position. Based on Kim Hongdo’s simple painting technique in his late period, Lee Jaekwan left pure and elegant landscape paintings and portraits with a background of small-scaled landscape. Showing a woman washing silk in a brook in the moonlight, this is a kind of a portrait with a background of small-scaled landscape. The complimentary writing of Woljeon Jang Wusung seems to confirm this work as Lee Jaekwan’s. The description of a person and branches of trees, and the light coloring show the characteristics of Lee Jaekwan’s unique painting style.