Artwork
Cho Jae-ho from Punhyang Cho Family
Cho Jae-ho from Punhyang Cho Family is an unspecified painting by the Joseon dynasty painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This painting is a double portrait of two high-ranking officials from the Cho family, originally from the Pungyang area.
- Accession no.
- 1999.15.2
- Credit line
- John L. Severance Fund
About this work
You see two men in dark robes sitting side by side, stiff and serious, against a plain background.
You see two men in dark robes sitting side by side, stiff and serious, against a plain background. Their faces are painted with careful lines, no shadows, just flat color.
These portraits were made to honor the Cho family during the Joseon Dynasty. Families copied them to use in rituals, so many versions exist. The same faces might hang in a Korean home today.
Look up korea, joseon dynasty (1392–1910) to see more portraits like this.
Overview
This painting is a double portrait of two high-ranking officials from the Cho family, originally from the Pungyang area.
Subject & Meaning
The subjects, Cho Jae-ho and Cho Hyun-myeong, were cousins and both held the position of High State Councilor. The portraits were commissioned by their family as a mark of respect and were likely used in Confucian rituals.
Technique & Style
The figures are depicted in dark robes against a plain background, with their faces rendered in a formal style characterized by careful lines and flat color, devoid of shading.
History & Provenance
The portraits date back to the Joseon Dynasty, a period during which such family portraits were commonly copied for use in rituals, resulting in multiple versions of the same image.
Artist & collection
