Teaching East Asia: Korea Teaching East Asia: Korea | Page 181

Jeon Seon’s grief over the loss of a beloved friend is reflected in Clearing after Rain on Mt. Inwang. The
inscription indicates that it was completed in late May of 1751, the time of his friend’s death. The painting of
Mt. Inwang (in Seoul) reveals beautiful sweeping brushwork that captures the moment the mountain emerges
from the mist just after the rain. His technique of repeatedly applying brushstrokes without waiting for the
previous ink application to dry helped to express the delicate wetness of the trees and mountain ridges.
By using only black ink, he was able to convey the subtle textures of the white granite rock. By painting with
black ink on white paper and employing the technique of the void and, in this case, the mist, he was also able to
convey a sense of timelessness and silence. His panoramic vista includes a pine grove and his friend’s home on
the far right.
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In Europe and in early American paintings, the