Poster - Red and white plum blossoms
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Poster - Red and White Plum Blossoms
With this framed poster - Red and White Plum Blossoms, you make a striking statement in any room. Printed on high-quality, thick, matte paper.
• Paper weight: 189 g/m²
• 0.26 mm (10.3 mil) thick
• Black and white frame made of semi-hard alder wood
• Frame made of solid oak wood
• Front protective film made of Acrylite
• Includes hanging hardware
• 21 × 30 cm posters are size A4
• Raw product components in the USA from Japan and the USA
• Raw product components in the EU from Japan and Latvia
How to attach the hooks to horizontal frames of 61 × 91 cm:
Attach each of the mounting hooks 2.5 cm from the frame corners when hanging the poster horizontally.
The Red and White Plums: A Masterpiece of Korean Joseon Art
- Alternative title: Hongbaekmaehwa-do (홍백매화도)
- Nationality/Epoch: Korea, Joseon Dynasty
- Material: Paper
- Artist: Jo Hee-ryong (조희룡, 1789–1866)
- Category: Cultural Properties – Calligraphy and Painting – General Painting
- Dimensions: Height 124.8 cm, Width 46.4 cm x 8 panels
- Collection number: Deoksu 1155
Jo Hee-ryong, a respected artist of the late Joseon period, impressed with his exceptional skills in poetry, calligraphy, and painting. Especially his depictions of plum blossoms stand out among his numerous works and are considered particularly prolific and recognized. His fascination with this motif is impressively recorded in his writings, especially in the Seokwoo Mangnyeonrok.
A Blooming Vision: The Red and White Plums
The painting Red and White Plums is a remarkable folding screen painting that shows the fragile beauty of plum blossoms in full bloom. On eight panels, intertwined branches unfold, adorned with bright red and white blossoms. These dynamic and curved branches give the artwork a lively movement and vitality.
The painting directs the viewer's attention from the trees themselves to the blossoms, which are the focus. The contrasts between the red and white blossoms symbolize the harmony and duality of nature and reflect a timeless aesthetic celebrated in East Asian art.
The Transition to Color
In the late Joseon period, the depiction of plum blossoms in Korean painting underwent a marked change. While earlier works were often monochrome (Muk-mae, 묵매 墨梅) and highlighted the simple elegance of the branches, artists like Jo Hee-ryong, influenced by the vibrant aesthetics of the Qing Dynasty, increasingly brought color into their works.
The Red and White Plums is an outstanding example of this change. By using strong red and white tones, Jo breathed new life into his blossoms. The deliberate use of color emphasizes the dynamism and liveliness of the artwork and highlights the interplay of light and vitality against the simplicity of the branches.
A Fusion of Calligraphy and Painting
Jo Hee-ryong's inscription on the painting testifies to his distinctive approach. He emphasized that his depictions of plum blossoms did not follow traditional painting theories or techniques. Instead, his style was deeply rooted in calligraphy, especially in the fluid forms of Jeonseu (전서) and Yeseu (예서).
This fusion of the arts gives the painting a rhythmic dynamism, where the blossoms appear like characters of a poetic script. Jo compared the scattered blossoms to "patterns spilled from the Milky Way" or "a swarm of colorful butterflies that escaped from Mount Nafu (결부산)." Such poetic descriptions underline the transcendent beauty of his work, which unites nature and imagination.
A Lasting Legacy
The Red and White Plums is more than a work of art – it is a tribute to the fleeting beauty of nature and the boundless creativity of the artist. By combining traditional Korean art with influences from the Qing Dynasty, Jo Hee-ryong created a timeless masterpiece that is admired to this day.
