월전 장우성 (月田 張遇聖, 1912 ~ 2005)

평생을 한국화의 새로운 형식과 방향을 모색하여 우리 화단을 이끈 한국 미술계의 거장

Woljeon Chang Woo-Soung (1912-2005) was a giant of Korean art who led the art circles of the nation by searching for new forms and for directions of Korean painting throughout his life. He played a crucial role in the formation and development of new art following the Liberation from Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945) by creation a world of "new literati painting," which combine the spirit and elegance unique to East Asia and modern figurative techniques. In particular, Woljeon is esteemed as the last literati painter of modern Korean art circles who, with his mastery of traditional poetry, calligraphy, and painting, arrived at a thorough integration, both internal and external, of the profound and lofty world of traditional literati paintings.

In addition to being a peerless artist, Woljeon was as outstanding educator as well. He started to teach at the College of Fine Art in Seoul National University in 1946, the year of its foundation, and at the College of Fine Arts in Hongik University in the latter half of the 1960’s. Indeed, the majority of leading modern Korean painters today are Woljeon’s proteges.

In his old age, Woljeon channeled his lifetime of accomplishments into public interest by establishing the Woljeon Art Culture Foundation, constructing the Woljeon Gallery Hanbyeokwon, and creating the Woljeon Art Award. In addition, he founded the Oriental Arts Research Society, which provides senior scholars’ theoretical lectures on the traditional philosophy, thought, and artistic spirit of East Asia. These lectures are annually collected and published as Hanbyeok Research Monographs.

Through solo exhibitions at home (9 exhibitions) and abroad (5 exhibitions), Woljeon presented and promoted the quintessence of Korean painting both at home and abroad. In addition, many of his works are a part of major collections worldwide.

Woljeon’s principal works include numerous portraits, landscapes, paintings of flowers and birds, and paintings of animals such as the Portrait of General Yi Sun-sin, Lord Chungmu(Hyeonchungsa), Cheonji on Mt. Baekdu (National Assembly), The Blessed Mother and the Blessed Martyrs of Korea trilogy (Vatican Museums), Crying(National Museum of Contemporary Art), Angry Cat(Woljeon Museum), Atelier(Samsung Museum of Art Leeum), Migrating Wild Geese(British Museum), Red Plum Blossoms(French Ministry of Culture and Communication), Reminiscene(Museum fur Ostasiatische Kunst KoIn), Sim Cheong(Tokyo Fuji Art Museum), Young Men(Seoul National University Museum), Fighting from Hunger(Korea University Museum), and The Diamond Mountains(Sogang University Museum).

In recognition of his contribution to Korean art and culture, Woljeon was awarded with the Seoul City Culture Award(1959), National Academy of Arts Prize(1971), May 16 National Award(1972), and Cordon of the Geugwan[Gold Crown] of the Order of Culture Merit(2001). His works include essay collection Occasional Thoughts from the Atelier and memoir 70 Years of Turmoil in Art Circles.