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Rubens' Korea Man

Korea Man

from Rubens

This is a painting by Rubens of a Jesuit in Korean clothes on a market in Antwerp from around 1620. Rubens made a drawing "Man in Korean Costume" -- black chalk and some traces of red chalk on paper, 38.4 x 23.5 cm, now in the J. Paul Getty Museum (Malibu), reg. no. 83.GB.384 --

The depicted man is clearly a Westener, and the costume is indeed a Korean Choson period costume (ch'ônik). The drawing is part of a series of five drawings -- the other four being men in Chinese costumes. It has been speculated that the man in the costume is the China missionary Nicolas Trigault (alias Kin Nige, 1577-1628), who in January 1617 was together with Rubens in Antwerp.

Courtesy Frank Hoffman and Henny Savenije.