Abstract

Woodblock prints of Chinese real, as opposed to imaginary, landscapes began to secure their independent status during the Wanli period(萬曆年間, 1573~1620) in the Ming Dynasty which also saw a development in the printing and publication industry as well as in travel culture particularly in the region of the southern banks of the Yangtze River. Such kinds of woodblock prints were established through accommodating characteristics of traditionally used topography and real-view landscape paintings with elements of actual landscapes. Eventually they reached a level where they could be likened to the canvas of a painting. In China, during the 17th and 18th centuries woodblock prints of real-view landscape gradually moved away from being mere representations of local topography to being pure painting. Examples of the former include Sancaituhui(三才圖會, 1607) and Haineiqiguan(海內奇觀, 1609), while representations of the latter are Mingshantu (名山圖, 1633), Taipingshanshuitu(太平山水圖, 1648) and woodblock print of Huangshan(黃山). Wodblock prints of real-view landscape were either produced with reference to local topography(方志) or drew on earlier styles. Thus, the Haineiqiguan drew on the book of Earth in Sancaituhui. The Mingshantu contributed to improving aspects of painting through reflecting achievement of the real-view landscape painting partially as well as borrowing a part of style of Haineiqiguan. Such trend originated in the woodblock print album of Huangshan and Taipingshanshuitu produced during the early Qing period and became closer to general paintings. The Gujintushujicheng(古今圖書集成) which comprise woodblock prints of landscape was compiled during the reign of Emperor Kangxi(康熙帝, r. 1662~1722) and adopted as its main style that of the Mingshantu. During the 17th and 18th centuries Chinese woodblock prints of real-view landscape were introduced to the Joseon Dynasty without time lag. From the end of the 16th century enthusiasm for collecting Chinese publications was wide spread among the literati and it inspired others to collect them too, such as painters and members of the royal court. The main interest of the literati mostly lay in anthropogeography and literature but influence of woodblock prints was not small. In particular during the 18th century when real-view landscape painting flourished they partly impacted on the styles of Jeong Seon(鄭敾, 1676~1759) and Kim Hong-do(金弘道, 1745~1806?) who were representative painters at this time. In short, woodblock print books of real-view landscape became texts for cultural knowledge of the literati of Korea and China at that time and to the painters they became a kind of material for paintings.