dream journey art

Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History Essays

Mountain and water: korean landscape painting, 1400–1800.

Evening bell from mist-shrouded temple (left); Autumn moon over Lake Dongting (right)

Style of An Gyeon

Gathering of government officials

Unidentified artist

Soyoung Lee Department of Asian Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

based on original work by

Hwi-Joon Ahn Seoul National University

October 2004

In pre-modern European painting, the human figure, whether mythical, religious, or historical, plays a starring role. In traditional East Asian art, landscape is the preferred and revered mode of painting. Landscape painting represents both a portrayal of nature itself and a codified illustration of the human view of nature and the world. Within the powerful, awe-inspiring landscape, the human figure appears in diminutive form, or not at all. Korea possesses a long tradition of landscape painting, tracing back to the tomb murals of the Goguryeo kingdom (37 B.C.–668 A.D.). The majority of extant works, however, date to the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). This coincides with a period of great maturation of landscape painting, in style and theoretical paradigms.

The single most important landscape painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries was the court artist An Gyeon (active ca. 1440–70). Taking inspiration from the idiom of Northern Song artist Guo Xi (ca. 1000–ca. 1090), An created a distinctive style of landscape painting that shaped the direction of that genre during the early Joseon period. His most famous work, Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land , is a tour-de-force of dynamic brushwork and luminous imagery. Painted in 1447 at the behest of his patron, Prince Anpyeong, the handscroll depicts a dream, as elucidated by the prince in his colophon to the painting, wherein he was transported to the Peach Blossom Land, a utopian world described in a fable by the Chinese recluse poet Tao Qian (Tao Yuanming, 365–427). This Peach Blossom Land, enclosed by a magnificent landscape, is portrayed in the right half of the scroll. An elegant and stirring painting, An’s masterpiece is important on many levels. As a close collaboration between patron and artist, the painting affirms both the authority of Prince Anpyeong, a powerful supporter of the arts, and the transformative skills of An Gyeon. The handscroll also attests to the deep knowledge of and appreciation for literary and artistic traditions, especially Chinese, shared by a broad spectrum of the cultural elite of the period. At the same time, it unequivocally reveals An’s extraordinary personal style, one that would serve as a model for generations of landscape painters.

Landscape painting in the style of An Gyeon—featuring prominent mountains looming in the background over idyllic scenes of trees, small hills, and water (sometimes with evidence of human presence, such as boats or architecture)— flourished through the fifteenth, sixteenth, and even into the seventeenth century. A popular theme within this genre was the Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers. Beyond the borders of Joseon Korea, the An Gyeon style of landscape painting had a visible effect on ink painters of the Muromachi period (1392–1573) in Japan, notably the great master Tenshō Shūbun.

Some of the representative landscape painters of the seventeenth century include Yi Jing (1581–after 1645), Yi Gyeong-yun (1545–1611), and Kim Myeongguk (1600–after 1662). The latter, as celebrated for his Seon (Zen) figure paintings as for his landscapes, also gained fame in Japan, to which he twice accompanied the Joseon embassy. These artists’ approach to stylistic precedents—both Chinese and Korean—was more flexible than that of their predecessors. The seventeenth century also witnessed the rise in popularity of the Zhe school style, adopted from Ming-dynasty (1368–1644) China. Also during this time, landscapes based on Chinese Southern School painting became widely practiced. This style would persist into the eighteenth century as a dominant trend.

Perhaps the most ground-breaking and significant development to occur in landscape painting of the eighteenth century is the so-called “true-view landscape painting” ( jingyeong sansuhwa ). To scholars of the time, this term encompassed scenery that, while true to actual Korean landscapes, was also the most exemplary and most ideal in the country—such as that of Mount Geumgang (Diamond Mountain). Today the term signifies landscape painting that expresses both the actual topography of a famous site in Korea and the layers of psychological and art-historical meanings embedded in the scenery. Much of landscape painting before the eighteenth century depicted either famous scenery in China or generic images of nature as imagined by the artist—in both cases, often following well-established literary or pictorial precedents.

The preeminent artist Jeong Seon (1676–1759) is credited as the father of true-view landscape painting and, therefore, with the “Koreanization” of Joseon painting. Paintings of native sites did exist in Korea prior to the eighteenth century; yet, undeniably, it is in Jeong’s splendid paintings of famous sites that the concept and style of true-view painting reached its full potential. His numerous illustrations of Mount Geumgang (located in present-day North Korea) impress the viewer with the grand scale of nature portrayed in painted imagery. They are breathtaking in how accurately and poignantly they convey the physical features and the emotional resonance of the majestic scenery. No less inspiring is his painting of the smaller mountain range, Mount Inwang (in Seoul): its cropped composition and bold, sweeping brushwork beautifully capture the moment the mountain emerges from the mist just after the rain.

Late Joseon landscape painters contemporary with or following Jeong Seon would continue, expand, or diverge from the precedent set by him. Two of the most eminent artists of the late eighteenth century are Gang Sehwang (1713–1791) and Yi Inmun (1745–1821). Gang, a noted art critic as well as painter, incorporated in his works a wide range of historical and contemporary influences. Prominent among those influences were Western painting techniques—available to Korean artists through China—such as the effects of transparent color, like watercolor, and the technique of shading . While Gang painted a number of famous sites around Korea, the court painter Yi Inmun often illustrated nonspecific and even imaginative landscape, as demonstrated by his masterpiece, Streams and Mountains without End . A grand vision of the ever-changing aspects of nature, this scroll’s panoramic scale makes it one of the most celebrated landscape paintings in Korea.

Lee, Soyoung. Based on original work by Hwi-Joon Ahn. “Mountain and Water: Korean Landscape Painting, 1400–1800.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mowa/hd_mowa.htm (October 2004)

Further Reading

Ahn Hwi-joon. "The Origin and Development of Landscape Paintings in Korea." In Arts of Korea , edited by Chung Yang-mo et al. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1998. See on MetPublications

Ch'oe Wan-su. Korean True-View Landscape: Paintings by Chông Sôn (1676–1759) . London: Saffron Books, 2005.

Kim, Kumja Paik. "Chong Son (1676–1759): His Life and Career." Artibus Asiae 52 (1992), pp. 329–41.

Additional Essays by Soyoung Lee

• Lee, Soyoung. “ Korean Buddhist Sculpture (5th–9th Century) .” (October 2002)
• Lee, Soyoung. “ Golden Treasures: The Royal Tombs of Silla .” (October 2003)
• Lee, Soyoung. “ Goryeo Celadon .” (October 2003)
• Lee, Soyoung. “ Joseon Buncheong Ware: Between Celadon and Porcelain .” (October 2003)
• Lee, Soyoung. “ In Pursuit of White: Porcelain in the Joseon Dynasty, 1392–1910 .” (October 2004)
• Lee, Soyoung. “ Yangban : The Cultural Life of the Joseon Literati .” (October 2004)
• Lee, Soyoung. “ Art of the Korean Renaissance, 1400–1600 .” (September 2010)

Related Essays

• Yangban : The Cultural Life of the Joseon Literati
• Art of the Korean Renaissance, 1400–1600
• Painting Formats in East Asian Art
• Work and Leisure: Eighteenth-Century Genre Painting in Korea
• East Asian Cultural Exchange in Tiger and Dragon Paintings
• Gardens in the French Renaissance
• In Pursuit of White: Porcelain in the Joseon Dynasty, 1392–1910
• Japanese Illustrated Handscrolls
• Korean Munbangdo Paintings
• Landscape Painting in Chinese Art
• Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)
• Muromachi Period (1392–1573)
• Nature in Chinese Culture
• Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127)
• The Qing Dynasty (1644–1911): Loyalists and Individualists
• The Qing Dynasty (1644–1911): Painting
• The Qing Dynasty (1644–1911): The Traditionalists
• Scholar-Officials of China
• The Transformation of Landscape Painting in France
• Watercolor Painting in Britain, 1750–1850
• Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368)

List of Rulers

• List of Rulers of Korea
• China, 1400–1600 A.D.
• China, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Japan, 1400–1600 A.D.
• Japan, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Korea, 1400–1600 A.D.
• Korea, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Chinese Literature / Poetry
• Floral Motif
• Funerary Art
• Literature / Poetry
• Ming Dynasty
• Northern Song Dynasty
• Plant Motif

Artist or Maker

Dream Journey to Mt. Tiantai

Download, print and share, did you know, description.

Visually Similar by AI

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email [email protected] .

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk .

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services .

JINWOOK JUNG

Dream journey to the peach blossom land.

14th September, 2015  |  Jinwook Jung

»Traumbesuch«

for sting quartet

After I wake up from a fun and interesting dream, I always look back on the dream and try to remember how the dream started and ended. 

At times, I am deeply immersed into my thoughts for hours after I wake up to remember my dream. 

I came to know about an artwork from the Joseon Dynasty that has a story behind it that is very similar to such experiences of mine.

On the night of April 20th, 1447, Prince Anpyeong had a very mysterious dream. In the dream, he was walking on the path, following extremely grotesque sceneries, and finally reached a heavenly place (paradise) full of beautiful peach blossoms. Because the dream was very unusual, he wrote it down as soon as he woke up to remember the dream. Then, he called An Gyeon (the painter in the royal house at the time), described to him all about the dream, and ordered him to create a painting based on his story. The result is the „Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land“, the greatest masterpiece among all existing art works from the Joseon Dynasty.

I have had a different sort of impression from this painting than any other paintings from the Joseon Dynasty. There are splendid colours and expressions that were never found in the Joseon Dynasty landscape paintings before, the mysterious and unrealistic atmosphere with not a single person in it. However, the most unique thing about the painting is that four different perspectives are very distinctive yet harmonious. I was fascinated with the painting, and the background story of Prince Anpyeong reminded me of my own habit to remember my dreams. I felt even more connected to the painting, and decided to compose a piece to express the emotion in my own language. 

Dreams are mostly vague and inconsistent. Thus in this piece, themes and stories about dream are mixed together like a memory of a dream one can never recall in a correct order. An Gyeon, the painter from 600 years ago, used four different perspectives in his depiction of the heavenly land to express the bizarre quality of dreams. I composed my piece as a string quartet, with four different instruments are harmonized like a good painting, in order to express the four perspectives that are harmonious yet very distinctive. Furthermore, I tried to expand my expression of the four perspectives through different tones, rhythms, and forms instead of simply including four different instruments. 

My desire to remember a mysterious dream forever, and the Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land that were born through the dream, the masterpiece that had reminded me of my own habits through its background story were what I attempted to express them through my own language of music.  

Jinwook Jung

See all hours

• Tue–Wed Closed
• Fri–Sun 11–5
• The first hour of every day, 10–11 a.m., is reserved for member-only viewing.

Dream Journey to Rivers and Mountains

Image actions.

• Show this image

Currently Off View

• Arts of Asia

Qing dynasty (1644–1912); c. 1655

Cheng Zhengkui (attributed) Chinese, 1604-76

About this artwork

In 1649, the former Ming dynasty official Cheng Zhengkui emerged from retirement in south China to serve the new Manchu Qing court in Beijing. Thereafter, he resolved to paint and present as gifts to his fellow officials an ambitious series of more than one hundred scrolls under the title Dream Journey Among Rivers and Mountains. “Dream Journey,” literally “to travel while reclining,” suggests a tour that is purely visionary. This work is likely one of nearly forty scrolls that reportedly survive from the series. Although painted in Beijing, Cheng’s imagery clearly depicts the low-lying hills, valleys, rivers, and waterfalls distinctive to south China, where intellectuals were relatively isolated from the new, alien regime. His tranquil style integrates subtle elements of earlier masters.

Date   Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Inscriptions, credit line, reference number, extended information about this artwork, publication history.

• “The Life of a Patron” - ZhouLianggong(1612-1672) and Painters of Seveteenth Century China, by Hongnam Kim, China Institute in America, New York, 1996
• The Art Institute of Chicago 1964 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 64-25438
• Comprehensive Illustrated Catalog of Chinese Paintings: Vol. 1 American and Canadian Collections, compiled by Kei Suzuki , by University of Tokyo Press, 1982; page I-34, 35, No. A 3–014.

Exhibition History

• SOC 9919, New York,NY, The China Institute Gallery,10/19/96-12/21/96.
• The Art Institute of Chicago : Ming (1368-1644) Ching (1644-1921) dynasties Exhibition 1964

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here .

Explore Further

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates..

• News and Exhibitions Career Opportunities Families
• Public Programs K-12 Educator Resources Teen Opportunities Research, Publishing, and Conservation

Gallery actions

Suggested terms.

• Free Admission
• O'Keeffe
• My Museum Tour
• What to See in an Hour

Where next?

Explore related content

Dream Journey to Peach Blossom Land

An gyeon 1350/1447, korea data agency seoul, south korea.

• Title: Dream Journey to Peach Blossom Land
• Creator: Ahn Gyeon
• Creator Lifespan: 1350/1500
• Creator Nationality: Korean
• Creator Gender: Male
• Date: 1350/1447
• Physical Dimensions: w106.5 x h38.7 cm
• Type: Oriental painting
• Rights: Korea Database Agency
• Medium: Light color on silk
• Collection: Tenri University Central Library, Japan

Get the app

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more

The Motion Awards!

Submissions Deadline Extended!

A Reunion with America’s Racial History

I'm Having a Breakdown

Behind the Scenes

Studio Stories

The Founders' POV

Interview with Hasmik Mkhchyan: A journey through time and technology.

Posted by Natalia Gonzalez

Editors Note:

Hasmik ‘s journey from traditional art to Motion Design is a compelling blend of the old and new. Trained in hand-drawn techniques at the Armenian Academy of Fine Arts, she has transitioned to digital and Al-driven creativity.

In this interview, we explore how Hasmik’s early experiences and the challenges of the 1990s shaped her work. She shares insight into her recents projects. The Garden of Forking Paths and Electric Dreams, and discusses how Al has transformed her artistic process.

The Genesis of an Idea

How did your traditional art education influence your career as a motion designer.

My education at the Armenian Academy of Fine Arts was essential for developing a solid artistic foundation. During my studies, everything was done by hand; we had no access to computers. That experience gave me a deep understanding of traditional design, something that many designers today do not have. I am very grateful to the mentors I had, who taught me the fundamentals. This knowledge gave me an advantage in the transition to the digital world, as it allowed me to combine technical skills with traditional artistic training.

What did the transition from hand-drawn designs to the digital world mean for you?

It was an exciting change. For someone who started out drawing by hand, the digital world opened up a range of new possibilities. I remember discovering designers like Neville Brody , David Carson and Stefan Sagmeister on the internet, which was a revelation. Not only because it marked a new technological era, but also because, after the fall of the Soviet Union, Armenia had access to 20th century Western art. It was a time of great discoveries and creative opportunities.

How did Armenia’s economic and technological challenges in the 1990s affect your professional development?

The 1990s were a tough decade for Armenia. The economy was struggling, partly because of the Karabakh conflict, which led to a blockade and an energy crisis. We only had two hours of electricity a day, so access to technology and the internet was a luxury. Despite these difficulties, Armenia’s computer graphics (CG) community began to grow. My experience at Triada Studio , the country’s first 3D animation studio, gave me the opportunity to be part of that growth. It was a key moment in my career.

What role do 20th century writers play in your artistic work?

Twentieth-century writers have been an important source of inspiration for me. Philip K. Dick, for example, has been a key influence on my recent projects. But I also greatly admire Jorge Luis Borges, whom I discovered during my student years. His work The Garden of Forking Paths inspired my next film, which, together with Electric Dreams, is part of the anthology Infinite Realities. In these films I explore alternative realities and bifurcating timelines, something that fascinates me both artistically and philosophically.

Infinite Realities

“Infinite Realities” is an anthology of two short films, Electric Dreams a The Garden of Forking Paths, inspired by the visionary works of Philip K.Dick and Jorge Luis Borges. Exploring the concept of alternate realities and branching timelines, these fils invite viewers to contemplate the mysteries of existence and the vastness of potential universe. The exploration of parallel worlds is not a new concept; it has roots in philosophical musing and early literary works.

However, it was not until the 20th century that this idea gained substantial traction, particularly in science fiction and scientific discourse. In 1941, Borges introduced the notion of branching time in his renewed story “The Garden of Forking Paths,” illuminating the concept with unparalleled clarity.

Fast forward to 1977, when Philip K. Dick, in his thought-provoking speech titled “If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some of the Others,” confronted audiences with existential questions about reality, cosmological time, and the intriguing prospect of our universe as a simulated construct.

These films emerged from a creative synergy, sparked by the discovery of cutting-edge Al technologies during my exploration of Stable Diffusion Al. This collaboration has elevated my artistic vision to new height of precision and complexity, transcending traditional methods and breathing life into the intricate worlds envisioned by these iconic authors.

How has artificial intelligence (AI) influenced your recent work?

The age of AI has been very inspiring, especially in the field of animation. Despite the controversies surrounding AI in the art world, for me it has opened new doors, just as digital technology did years ago. When I discovered stable broadcast AI, I was fascinated. This tool allowed me to create my first personal video art project, Electric Dreams: Echoes of Metz’s Speech, in homage to the visionary writer Philip K. Dick. AI has provided me with an artistic precision that is difficult to achieve with traditional methods alone.

How has your creative process changed with the use of AI?

My creative process has evolved a lot with AI. Collaborating with Stable Diffusion AI has allowed me to take my ideas to a level of precision and complexity that would have been difficult to achieve with traditional methods alone. AI has become another tool in my creative toolbox, while keeping alive the spirit of exploration that has always motivated me.

Discover Vladivostok. Tourist guide - the city of Vladivostok and beyond.

Walking in vladivostok, route 3. in arsenyev’s footsteps..

When you want to get acquainted with the detailed history of Vladivostok and Primorye, set out on this engrossing route. It is short, but none the less interesting. Start your tour with a visit to the Arsenyev Museum , Ulitsa Svetlanskaya 20 (Svetlanskaya Street).

After diving into the world of indigenous peoples of the region and learning about ancient archaeological findings and the flora and fauna of Primorsky Krai, continue uphill on Svetlanskaya (Svetlanskaya Street). Incidentally, near the museum there is an interesting shop under the sign "Flotsky Univermag" ("Naval Emporium") where you can buy not only souvenirs with symbols of the sea, but genuine Russian military uniform accessories like a blue-and-white striped sailor’s shirt, caps, visor hats, and much more.

Moving further along Svetlanskaya (Svetlanskaya Street) toward the sea, you will find several trendy restaurants and shops located in historic buildings. In one of the courtyards at Svetlanskaya 5 (Svetlanskaya Street) lurks the “Contemporary Art Gallery – Arka" . Written on an adjacent wall is their understanding of art as expressed by street artists.

A bit down Svetlanskaya (Svetlanskaya Street), the Hotel Versailles , which is more than a hundred years old, will attract your attention.

Crossing the road and keeping the Sportivnaya Gavan (Sports Harbor) embankment (naberezhnaya) on the right, you will see the "Ocean" movie theater (Kinoteatr "Okean"). In the main hall there they recently completed installation of IMAX-format technical equipment. So, now you can watch movies with high quality pictures and sound that creates a special effect so viewers in the hall feel like they are directly present in the center of the film’s events. If you are in Vladivostok in September, the so-called "velvet season," when the theater becomes a main venue for the "Pacific Meridian" Film Festival, it would be worth your while to attend a showing of a Japanese, Chinese or Singaporean film.

When you circle your way around the theater, you will come face to face with the master of the taiga - the Siberian tiger (Ussuriisky tiger), immortalized in bronze. Among tourists it is considered a good omen to scratch the cat behind the ear. The hill where this sculpture sits is named “Tigrovaya” (Tiger). In the early years of life in Vladivostok, tigers were frequent guests in the streets who induced panic in residents. They nearly annihilate all the local dogs, attacked the horses, cows, and even people. These days only bronze or stone tigers can be found on the streets.

But if you still want to see live tigers in their natural environment, go to the Safari Park not far from Vladivostok. Out regional tigers are loved and even worshiped - the tiger is depicted on the city crest, and every year in late September in Vladivostok is a special holiday - Day of the Tiger.

Near the Square is a Korean-grill café called "Busan." If you have gotten hungry by now, you can try different kinds of marinated meat here. A grill is built right into the table, so guests can cook for themselves according to their own preferences.

Back out on Ulitsa Naberezhnaya (Seafront Street), walk up a bit to the rotunda. This place is very popular with Vladivostok romantics. Although you won’t get much privacy here, you can admire stunning views of Amursky Zaliv (Amur Bay). On Military Fleet Day, which is celebrated at the end of July, it is better to occupy a place near the rotunda early since this is the best vantage point for observing the parade of warships.

Not far away, next to “AZIMUT Hotel Vladivostok" , is another square that bears the name of Russian writer Anton Chekhov, who visited Vladivostok in 1890. It is not known whether he walked in these exact places, but in a preserved letter Chekhov wrote to his friend that there was wonderful, warm weather in Vladivostok in October, and "an actual whale going along the bay splashing its giant tail left an impression that remains, in a word, splendid. Peaceful times in Vladivostok, as in Europe, are not boring. And what delicious fish! Oysters along the coast are large and tasty." Incidentally, whales can also be sighted these days near Vladivostok.

From the seaside, we turn onto Ulitsa Pervaya morskaya (First Marine Street). Walking through Vladivostok, you will have noticed that the names of many streets are associated with the sea - Beregovaya, Katernaya, Korabelnaya, Korallovaya, Matrosskaya, Okeansky Prospekt, Rybatsky Pereulok (respectively - Coast, Cutter, Ship, Coral, Sailor, Ocean Avenue, Fisherman's Lane). It is impossible to imagine life in Vladivostok without the sea; the world's first female sea captain, Anna Shchetinina, who lived in our city, probably thought the same of her own life. Her house is located in this area on Ulitsa Posietskaya (Posietskaya Street).

Now we go down Ulitsa Pervaya morskaya (First Marine Street) a short way and turn right on Ulitsa Arsenyeva (Arsenyev Street). Go to the end of the street and straight to the memorial house-museum of Vladimir Arsenyev. Here this outstanding Russian writer, scholar, and adventurer, who made such an enormous contribution to the development of the Far East, lived and worked. The house was built in the early 20th century. Once inside, you are easily transmitted to that time as all items are authentic – the bookcase, bentwood chairs, the rocking chair, globe, typewriter, photographs and documents. Any indefatigable traveler will be interested to peruse Arsenyev’s expedition journals, consider his personal hiking tools and archaeological finds.

And when you are inspired by the work of the researcher, it is possible to set off on a new route.

If you liked this article, share it with friends:

Come to Vladivostok!

We recommend.

• History and Culture

International Jazz Festival

Arch of the crown prince

This is the place where Vladivostok residents met the future Emperor Nicholas II with bread and salt upon his visit in 1891.

Organ Concerts

The only one in the (Russian) Far East — not inferior to counterparts in New York.