Cheolyu (1851–1917) whose pen name was Seokong was one of the most important monk painters working during the transition from the late Joseon period to modern Korea. He was born in Myeongcheon in present day North Korea and entered Seokwangsa Temple in 1868, when he was eighteen years old. He spent most of his life at the temple and devoted himself to both Buddhism and painting. He learned Buddhist painting from Hyeho, a respected monk painter connected with Geonbongsa Temple in the Geumgangsan area. Later Cheolyu became a su-hwaseung, or master painter, and led groups of artists who created Buddhist paintings for temples across Korea. Although he was mainly trained as a Buddhist painter, his interests were not limited to religious art. He also painted landscapes, portraits, and figures, showing that he could work in both religious and secular styles. His paintings combined techniques from the Geumgangsan tradition with influences from monk-painters in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Gyeongsang. He also experimented with elements from ordinary painting, folk art, Chinese illustrated novels, and Western shading techniques. By combining traditional Buddhist methods with newer styles, Cheolyu’s work reflected the changing artistic environment of Korea during the country’s transition into modernity. According to the Academy of Korean Studies, around thirty Buddhist paintings connected to Cheolyu are still known today. These include the Sixteen Arhats of Bohyeonsa from 1882, the Hyeonwangdo at Gyeongguksa from 1887, and the Sixteen Arhats of Gimryongsa from 1888. His career shows that late Joseon monk-painters were not simply anonymous craftsmen who produced images for temples. Instead, they could develop individual artistic styles and take part in a wider visual culture. One of Cheolyu’s most important surviving works is his Self Portrait, which is now associated with the Gansong Museum of Art. The painting is especially unusual because Cheolyu is considered the only Joseon monk painter known to have created a self-portrait. This makes it important not only as a painting but also as evidence of how the artist viewed himself. The portrait is made with ink and light colours and is much simpler than the detailed religious paintings usually associated with Buddhist art. Its controlled brushwork and limited colours create a quiet and personal image, where the monk’s character and presence are more important than decoration. The Korean Cultural Encyclopedia explains that the painting shows Cheolyu’s awareness of himself not only as a Buddhist monk but also as an artist. This idea becomes even more meaningful when considered in relation to the changing society of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Im Su-min has argued that Cheolyu’s career represents a wider change in the identity of Korean monk painters. They continued to work within Buddhist institutions, but they were increasingly seen as individual artists whose works could also be valued outside religious settings. For this reason Cheolyu’s self portrait can be understood as more than a simple record of his appearance. It represents the development of a personal artistic identity during Korea’s movement toward modernity. The importance of the painting is also connected to the growing public attention given to Buddhist art through modern newspapers, including a 1914 newspaper publication that scholars consider significant in changing the way Buddhist painting was viewed. In this way, the Self Portrait connects religion, individuality, and modernity, showing Cheolyu not just as a monk who painted, but as an artist who understood and presented his own identity and achievements.
The self-portrait by Cheolyu is a prime example of memory as a source of history. He was the only Buddhist monk who explored painting and experimented with developing his own artistic style. This portrait reflects the artist’s minimalist attitude, representing a monk who has renounced worldly virtues and follows the middle path.
