조선시대 烈女圖 고찰

The Paintings and Printings of Virtuous Wives(烈女) in the Choson Dynasty

The printings and paintings of virtuous wives in Choson Dynasty show three seeps ;The first pictures of virtuous wives was produced as inserted illustrations(揷圖) printed in the didactic The three principles in buman relations(三綱行實圖) at Sejong in the fifteenth Century. Most of the wives in the printings arc Chinese. Its format of full page-half block inserted illustration and its composition of the divided pictures look very similar to those of the Chinese illustrated chatefabk narrative(說唱詩話) made in the fifteenth century on a model of the fourteenth century of China. The format and composition, well-devised narrative picture for communication to illiterate women, became the archetype of all the ocher Choson Dynasty printings of the principles in human relations after then. The second step is found in The sequel to the three principles in human relations (東國新續三綱行實圖) and The Korean three principles in human relations(東國新續三綱行實圖). The significant change of the second step is a complete transformation of character, from Chinese into Korean. But there's no change in the format and the composition of the pictures. One change of the third seep is occurred in the format and the composition. The pictures of The five principles in human relations(五倫行實圖) that look refined painting works are representative examples. The change of the third step reflects new trend of illustrated fiction in the late Ming China, still making the viewer remind of the archetype. The pictures of virtuous wives of Choson Dynasty are very characteristic of two features. First, the purpose of the pictures is forcible demand that wife should be strong and die for her integrity and loyalty to her husband. The purpose made all the pictures to keep the archetype's image devised to be communicated easily. Second, the scene of pictures focused on injury to woman's body or her death, for giving a deep visual impression to women who should obey the forcible demand without any hesitation. The two features of the image of virtuous wives in Choson Dynasty could be one side of man's desires with another side through the paintings of Beauty woman(美人圖). In that the two features are far away from Chinese paintings and printing of Various virtuous wives, the features arc proved to be in Choson Dynsty's own way.