Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Man-bong Yi in 1991.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Korean Minhwa.

Artwork

Untitled

Man-bong Yi , 1991

Untitled is a paint painting by the Korean Minhwa artist Man-bong Yi. It dates from 1991 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This painted panel forms part of a larger folding screen traditionally employed as a decorative backdrop for ceremonial gatherings.

About this work

The colors swirl in thick patterns, like a puzzle of squares and spirals.

This painting is a bright panel from a room divider screen. It’s covered in bold reds, blues, yellows, greens and whites. The colors swirl in thick patterns, like a puzzle of squares and spirals.

The artist, Yi Man-bong, painted it in 1991. He was a Buddhist monk and one of Korea’s first tanch’ong experts. Tanch’ong means decorating wood with five bright colors. This style was once used on temple walls.

Look up Yi, Man-bong to see more of his work.

Overview

This painted panel forms part of a larger folding screen traditionally employed as a decorative backdrop for ceremonial gatherings. Executed in 1991, the work showcases a vivid arrangement of primary hues, red, blue, yellow, black and white, augmented by green, applied in bold, interlocking geometric and spiral motifs that dominate the surface.

Subject & Meaning

The composition does not depict narrative scenes; instead it emphasizes the visual impact of color and pattern, reflecting the Buddhist aesthetic of impermanence and the ritual function of the screen as a focal point for communal rites.

Technique & Style

Created using the tanch'ong method, the artist applied thick, pigmented layers to a wooden substrate, employing the traditional palette associated with temple ornamentation. The technique involves precise brushwork that yields dense, swirling blocks of color, reminiscent of puzzle-like squares and spirals.

History & Provenance

The panel was painted by the Venerable Yi Man‑bong, a Buddhist monk recognized as one of the inaugural trio of Korean artists designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property for their mastery of tanch'ong. The work remains within the collection that originally commissioned the screen for formal social events.

Context

Tanch'ong, historically used to adorn the interiors of temples and other significant wooden structures, employs a limited yet striking color scheme. By the late twentieth century, the practice had shifted from strictly religious settings to secular ceremonial contexts, as exemplified by this screen.

Legacy

Yi Man‑bong’s contribution helped revive and preserve the tanch'ong tradition, ensuring its transmission to contemporary artisans and its continued presence in Korean cultural heritage displays.