Gim Hongdo

Gim Hongdo was a painter during the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He is mostly remembered for his depictions of the everyday life of ordinary people, in a manner analogous to painters of the Dutch Golden Age. His name is also spelled Kim Hong-do and he is also widely known by his pen name Danwon. He was a member of the Gimhae Gim clan. He grew up in present-day Ansan, South Korea. At the age of 7, Gim Hongdo studied under the renowned master Pyoam Kang Se-hwang, who was then living in seclusion in Ansan. In 1766, at the age of 21, on the recommendation of Kang Sehwang, he entered the royal service as a member (hwawon) of the Dohwaseo, the official painters of the Joseon court. In 1771, he painted the portrait of the Royal Heir (the future King Jeongjo). In 1773, he assisted Byeon Sang-byeok when painting the Royal Portrait of King Yeongjo. In 1776, he painted the "Nineteen Taoist Immortals", that skyrocketed his reputation as a painter. At the same time, the new instated King Jeongjo commissioned him for many institutional paintings. He died in loneliness and poverty, though the circumstances, and even the year are unknown. Depending on the source, some state that he died in 1806, 1810, or after 1814. Gim is remembered today as one of the "Three Wons," together with Hyewon and Owon. He is also often joined to Owon and the 15th-century painter An Gyeon as one of Joseon's three greatest painters. The city of Ansan, where he spent his youth and learned his craft, has memorialized him in many ways. The district of Danwon-gu is named after him, as is Ansan's annual "Danwon Art Festival." Many public places have been designed in imitation of his works.