-
Exhibition Name
Joseon Envoys Travel to Ming China by Sea
- Nationality/Period
Joseon Dynasty
- Materials
Paper
- Category
Culture / Art - Letter & Paintings - Paintings - painting
- Dimensions
40.8×34.0cm(Album)
- Accession Number
Bongwan 7952
- Location
Joseon II
This series of paintings documents the sea route taken by members of the Joseon court as they traveled to the Ming court in 1624 to request confirmation of the newly crowned King Injo (r. 1623–1649). The paintings were commissioned, organized, and overseen by the chief Joseon envoy, Yi Deok-hyeong (1566-1645). These paintings, composed on 25 leaves, are believed to have been made in the late 18th to early 19th century, and are copies of Yeonhaengdopok (燕行圖幅), an earlier painting of Joseon envoys traveling to Ming that was made around the time of the actual voyage. The man charged with documenting the journey was an official named Hong Ik-han (洪翼漢), and he composed a detailed travelogue titled Hwapo seonsaeng jocheon hanghaerok (花浦先生朝天航海錄), which gives the size of the entourage and relates various anecdotes that occurred during the trip. At the end of the album, Yi Deok-hyeong wrote that the paintings were produced in order to help guide future envoys who would make similar sea journeys.