An Jung-sik (Korean: 안중식; Hanja: 安中植, 1861–1919), art name Simjeon (심전), was an artist who lived at the very end of the Joseon period.

[1] After the Japanese Annexation of Korea, An became a teacher for multiple painting and calligraphy schools and institutions, inspiring and leading the next generation of Korean painters.

[2] In 1881, An and Jo were chosen to accompany 38 young officials (yeongseonsa) on a diplomatic trip to Tianjin, China, where the two learned how to draw mechanical blueprints from the Chinese Bureau of Machinery.

An depicts a meeting of the Progressive Party hosted in the house of fellow painter O Se-chang (오세창, 1864–1953) in a painting labeled Doso Wine Society at Pagoda Garden.

An was inspired by their technique, thus leading him to open up his own private atelier and teach young, prospering Korean painters.

[1] An’s private studio was called Gyeongmukdang (경묵당, also referred to as Gyeongmukheon 경묵헌; Gyeongmuk 耕墨 means “cultivating the ink”).

Gyeongmukdang was established in his sarangbang (which translates to ‘love room’) but is defined as “the study and social area in a Korean traditional house where male scholars worked and received guests”.

Besides an educational site, Gyeongmukdang was a social space where important figures would gather and appreciate the ‘traditional three arts’: poetry, calligraphy and painting.

[1] With free tuition and a small founding class of 15 students, this smaller institution became the first school of ink painting and calligraphy in Korea.

[6] The curriculum focused on traditional techniques taught by artists who made an impact on the art scene during the Chosŏn era.

At the Kyŏngsong School of Calligraphy and Painting, An taught many recognizable names, such as Ko Huidong (1886–1965), who is credited with being Korea’s first oil painter and Yi Hanbok (1897–1940), a skillful nihonga artist and influential teacher during the '30s.

[2][4] Other note-worthy students include O Ilyeong (1890–11960), ink painter Kim Eunho (1892–1979), who became influential teachers in nihonga during the 30’, Park Seungmu (1893–1980), Choe Usŏk (1899–1964) and Yi Yongu (1902–1952), who all were important figures in Korean modern art.

Despite the great initial opening in 1921 with the first ever exhibition, the association had a lack of funds and couldn’t publish catalogs and support artists, leading to it being closed in 1936.

[1] In the 19th century, An started to incorporate more Western techniques like linear perspective and chiaroscuro, the use of strong contrasts between light and dark.

[3] Despite the use of Western techniques, many of An’s landscape paintings have been honored with bringing “true scenery” (jingyeong) drawing style, which was highly popular during the Joseon dynasty, back to life.

Art historians of the present call An’s use of this style “an expression of self-awakening and national consciousness and cultural identity developing.”[2] Among An Jung-sik's main works, is the twofold painting: "Spring Dawn at Mt.

First of all, this painting is remarquable by the way it mixes composition and strokes from the traditional Joseon heritage with the Western trends, especially the use of perspective (mathematical projective geometry).

[9] On the upper left corner of the yellow tone painting, one can read the Chinese inscription '白岳春曉' (=백악춘효) meaning 'Dawn of Spring facing Mount Baekak'.

This 'tiger' was not a simple decorative bloc of stone, but an haetae 해태, i.e. a mythical creature serving as a fengshui guardian against natural disasters and a symbol of law and order.

In this mystical, dreamlike painting, An portrays the Daoist paradise of the Peach Blossom Land, which has been a highly glorified and appreciated East Asian art subject.

Dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries, the Peach Blossom Land has been described to be a “mythic heavenly realm” that many people viewed as a utopia and wished to discover, only to realize it can only be obtained in their dreams.

A Cart by Maple Forest shows the traditional method of painting landscapes, creating the theme to feel a bit more mystical and projecting the final work on a scroll.

), an underground Japanese artist who created the Korean division of the Joun-sha art society based in Tokyo.