Artist Kwon Oh-chang Revives Joseon Figures Through Portraits, Studies Historical Costumes

Painter Kwon Oh-chang, 78, has dedicated his artistry to bringing historical figures of the Joseon Dynasty to life through portraits, most notably capturing the likeness of King Danjong, whose face is lost to history. Kwon is recognized as the most prolific artist in South Korea for standard portraits, having created 17 of the nation's 104 designated national standard portraits. His work extends beyond royal figures; he has also meticulously rendered portraits of various historical individuals. Kwon, also known as a "costume expert," emphasizes the importance of understanding traditional attire to accurately depict historical figures. "You need to know what kind of clothes were worn and what accessories were used according to the status and era, whether it was Ijo Champan or Yeonguijeong, to draw a royal portrait. You cannot draw a person without knowing the clothes," he explained. His lifelong study of traditional costumes was spurred by an exhibition in 1990 titled "Joseon Dynasty Late Period Costumes and Portraits," where he recreated clothing from black and white photographs in color. He later visited Professor Seok Ju-seon, a pioneer in costume research, to pay his respects. Ahead of a special exhibition at the National Daegu Museum titled "Drawing Our Clothes: Kwon Oh-chang's Donated Costume Figure Paintings," which opens on July 7, Kwon met with reporters at his studio in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on July 3.

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You need to know what kind of clothes were worn and what accessories were used according to the status and era, whether it was Ijo Champan or Yeonguijeong, to draw a royal portrait. You cannot draw a person without knowing the clothes.