Lee Jung-seob

Lee Jung-seob was a Korean artist who was born and raised during Korea under Japanese rule. He studied art in Japan and was influenced by Fauvism and other Western styles. He married a Japanese poet, Yamamoto Masako, and had two sons with her. He suffered from poverty and hardship during the Korean War and had to send his family back to Japan for their safety. He never saw them again except for a brief visit in 1953. He created some of the most iconic paintings in Korean modern art, such as White Ox and Bull, which expressed his emotions and identity. He also made drawings on silver foil from cigarette packs and postcards to his family. He died of hepatitis in 1956 at the age of 40. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Korean artists of the 20th century and a national treasure.