Artist behind portraits on Korean banknotes dies at 88
Korean painter Lee Jong-sang, best known for creating the portraits of Confucian scholar Yi I and his mother, Shin Saimdang, featured on Korean banknotes, died Tuesday. He was 88. Lee, who worked under the pen name Ilrang, was born in Yesan, South Chungcheong Province, in 1938. He graduated from Daejeon High School and Seoul National University's (SNU) College of Fine Arts, where he studied…
Korean painter Lee Jong-sang, who is renowned for depicting Confucian scholar Yi I and his mother Shin Saimdang on the country's banknotes, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 88. Born in Yesan, South Chungcheong Province in 1938, Lee took the pen name Ilrang during his career. He completed his education at Daejeon High School and Seoul National University's College of Fine Arts, where he honed his painting skills.
Lee furthered his studies by obtaining master's and doctoral degrees in philosophy from Dongguk University. He joined the faculty at Seoul National University's Department of Oriental Painting in 1968 and eventually became the director of the SNU Museum. Lee also held the position of an expert member on the museum subcommittee of the Cultural Heritage Committee.
Renowned for his traditional Korean paintings, including murals and portraits, Lee was known for his efforts to modernize Korean painting through the use of new subjects and techniques while maintaining an indigenous aesthetic that differed from Western traditions. He dedicated considerable time to researching murals from ancient Goguryeo tombs, advocating for their importance as a source of Korean color painting.
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- Artist behind portraits on Korean banknotes dies at 88 koreatimes.co.kr
