Chusa’s orchid painting to be designated as a treasure

"Bulyiseon Orchid Painting" (pictured), painted by Chusa Kim Jeong-hui (1786-1856) in his later years, will be designated as a treasure. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Tuesday that the Bulyiseon Orchid Painting, considered the essence of Joseon literati painting, would be designated as a treasure because it is “a work that comprehensively represents the academic and artistic world of Kim Jeong-hui, a symbol of 19th-century cultural history.”

This work was painted by Chusa, who lived in Gwajichodang in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, to give to a person named Daljun. It is called "Bulyiseon Orchid Painting" or "Bujak Orchid Painting" from the title of the painting. It can be seen that Chusa, who intuitively sensed that it was a masterpiece after drawing an orchid in light shade, was satisfied with himself and was delighted. Son Chang-geun, the eldest son of Son Se-gi (1903-1983), a businessman from Kaesong, North Korea, who was a collector of cultural assets, kept the painting for generations until he donated it to the National Museum of Korea in 2018.

On the same day, the Cultural Heritage Administration also announced the designation of three cultural assets as treasures: "Buddhist Painting of Gobulsa Temple, Gijang" in Busan, "Bronze Bell of Bogwangsa Temple in Paju" in Gyeonggi, and "Buljo samgyeong (The Three Sutras) in possession of Seokwangsa Temple" in Bucheon.


always99@donga.com