허균과 이정(李楨) -17세기 초 화가 이정과 작가 허균의 교유

Abstract

This article focuses on the literary and artistic significance of the encounter and companionship between Hŏ Kyun and Yi Chŏng in the early 17th century. Lee Jeong-eun, died early at the age of 29, was a native of a family of painters who displayed genius skills in Buddhist and landscape paintings. In addition, his relations with Hŏ Kyun represents an important phase of literary history. In the meantime, however, there has been little evaluation or interest upon the subject to date. Thus, the main purpose of this article is to restore the aspects of Yi Chŏng as a painter through the records he had left and to identify the companionship between him and Hŏ Kyun left in the literary history of the early 17th century. As is generally known, Hŏ Kyun had left an innovative thoughts through extraordinary friendships and literary works. In respect of his friendship with Yi Chŏng, there had not only the esthetic taste but also the paintings and Buddhism which functioned as the connection in between. He was also fascinated by Yi’s exceptional understanding of Buddhism and his paintings. Moreover, the two had produced a collection of Buddhism and literature together. Han Ho, who was excluded from the political center due to his background as a literati from Northwest, also participated in the production. That was the birth of the literary-artistic production, by the greatest writers and painters of the time. In 17th century, however, the production as well as the companionship were regarded as rebellious subjects. Nevertheless, such literary treasures and their presence seem to have played a crucial role in creating an atmosphere in which the romantic arts of this period were promoted. Consequentially, the late 16th and early 17th century, referred to as Chosŏn-Renaissance, could have been more specifically identified through the emergence and companionship of these problematic figures.