🌸 The man who painted butterflies – Nam Gye-u and the art of the Joseon period
In the late Joseon Dynasty, painting butterflies was a popular genre in Korean painting. Artists like Baek Eun-bae (白殷培), Kim Seok-hee (金奭熙), Seo Byeong-geon (徐丙建), or Song Su-myeon (宋修勉) often devoted themselves to floral and faunal motifs. But among all these names, one stands out particularly: Nam Gye-u (남계우, 1811–1888).
During his lifetime, he was so closely identified with his butterfly depictions that he was respectfully called "Nam Nabi" (남나비 – "Butterfly Nam"). His paintings are characterized by fine lines, bright colors, and extraordinary attention to detail, earning him a place among Korea's most important nature painters.
Who was Nam Gye-u?
Nam Gye-u came from a respected family in the capital and was a direct descendant of the famous scholar Nam Gu-man (南九萬). He was an official at the court and held the title Dojeong in Namchon (Seoul). His pen name was Ilho (일호), and his works were mostly created in the second half of the 19th century – a period when Korea was moving between tradition and modernity.
Why "Nam Nabi"?
Nam Gye-u was not an ordinary flower painter. His paintings stand out from other artists of his time through their scientifically accurate observation of nature and a painterly elegance.
His most famous work, "Gunjeopdo" (군접도, "Picture of Butterfly Swarms") shows over 150 different butterfly species – each with individual wing patterns and lifelike poses. This combination of naturalistic precision and painterly sensibility was exceptional at the time.
Composition and style
Typical for Nam Gye-u's works is the clear tripartite division of the composition:
- Top: A poetic or explanatory title text (제발/題跋) describing the origin and intention of the image.
- Center: Swarming butterflies in harmonious movement, often in the center of the composition.
- Below: flowers like peonies or wisteria stretching diagonally across the surface.
This structure combines classical East Asian aesthetics with a sense of movement and depth. His colors are vibrant, the lines carefully guided – yet his works never seem overloaded.
🌺 Between Science and Poetry
Nam Gye-u observed nature with the precision of a biologist and painted it with the sensitivity of a poet. His pictures speak not only to the eye but also to the heart.
In his flowers and butterflies, the transient and the eternal at once are reflected – a central idea of East Asian aesthetics. His works feel almost meditative and invite you to lose yourself in details.
🏛️ Impact and Legacy
Nam Gye-u's works are today in important museums, including:
- the National Museum of Korea,
- the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art,
- the Ewha University,
- as well as international collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
His influence on Korean nature painting is still felt today. He exemplifies the connection of tradition, scientific accuracy, and emotional expression in the art of the Joseon period.
✍️ Conclusion
Nam Gye-u was more than a painter of butterflies – he was a chronicler of nature in a time of upheaval. His works show us how careful observation becomes true art.
In a world that often loses itself in speed today, his pictures remind us how much beauty lies in silence, in the small, and in the fleeting.
📌 Sources:
- Wikipedia (Korean, English, German)
- National Museum of Korea
- Encyclopedia of Korean Art
- Specialist article on Joseon painting
