Origins & Early Life

Sin Yunbok (Korean: 신윤복; 1758–1813), better known by his art name Hyewŏn, was a Korean painter of the Joseon period. Like his contemporaries Kim Hongdo and Kim Tŭksin, he is known for his realistic depictions of daily life in his time. His genre paintings are distinctly more erotic than Kim Hongdo's, a fact which contributed to his expulsion from the royal painting institute, Tohwasŏ. Painting was frequently a hereditary occupation in the Joseon period, and Sin's father and grandfather had both been court painters.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Together with Kim Hongdo and the later painter Chang Sŭngŏp, Sin is remembered today as one of the "Three Wons" of Joseon-period painting, referring to the shared particles in their art names. Not much is known about Sin Yunbok's life. He was the son of royal court painter Hanpyeong (한평; 漢枰), who had participated in painting the royal portraits of Yeongjo and Jeongjo. Sin reached the official rank of cheomjeoljesa (첨절제사; 僉節制使) at the Tohwasŏ and was adept at different styles of painting; genre, landscape, and animals. It is speculated that he left a great number of paintings due to the popularity of genre paintings during that era.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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