19th Century

nam gye-woo

Born 1811 Died 1888

Nam Gye-woo: Echoes of Elegance in Korean Butterfly Art Nam Gye-woo (허남준, born June 9, 1811 – died 1888) stands as a pivotal figure in late Joseon art, celebrated primarily for his exquisite depictions of butterflies—a motif that embodies grace, transformation, and profound symbolic meaning within Korean artistic tradition. Born into a noble family descended from Nam Jinhwa, who served as *Busa* (royal tutor), Nam Gye-woo’s upbringing instilled in him an appreciation for scholarly pursuits alongside artistic talent. He pursued his education diligently at Sungkyunkwan University and subseque…

works mapped

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1888

active until

An Interactive Constellation

The Subject Atlas

A chart of nam gye-woo's corpus mapped not by date but by subject. Spokes are what they painted; rings are when; and the threads between stars reveal the patrons and places that secretly connect them.

Focus a Subject

Trace a Context

Spokes — Subject

Each arm of the atlas gathers works by what they depict: portraits, sacred scenes, mythologies, and the scientific studies. Click a spoke to swing that cluster to the top.

Rings — Career Period

Distance from the center marks time. The innermost ring is the earliest period; the outermost, the final years. Style matures as you move outward.

Threads — Shared Context

Coloured lines link works bound by the same patron, commission, or theme. Trace a context to watch related clusters light up across subjects.

nam gye-woo

1811 - 1888

The Subject Atlas

Spokes — Subject

Rings — Career Period

Threads — Shared Context

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