Portrait of Son (Seon) Monk Jeweoldang Seongan

The Seon meditation sect of Korean Buddhism emphasized the teachings and deeds of former masters, who were seen as the living embodiments of enlightenment. This practice led to the proliferation of portrait paintings of Seon priests for display in meditation halls located in temple complexes. The composition of this colorful painting on silk—the imposing image of a robed teacher-priest seated on a mat-covered floor—gained popularity in the 18th century. Called “true-image” portraits (in Korean, chinyeong), such Buddhist paintings not only recorded a priest’s outward appearance but also served to encapsulate his enlightened spiritual mind. In keeping with the tradition of Korean Buddhist art, a monk-painter executed this unsigned portrait. Its subject, Jeweoldang Seongan, lived in the early 19th century at Haeinsa, one of Korea’s most important Buddhist temples during the Goryeo (918–1392) and Joseon (1392–1910) dynasties. There he held a high-ranking position immediately below the temple abbot. In 1817, a fire destroyed several halls and dormitory rooms at the temple, and Seongan oversaw their reconstruction. The rebuilding was completed a year later, with the financial help of Neo-Confucian scholars and the local population of commoners.