Quick answer
The most famous Yi Eungro painting is Untitled (1969); the original is in the Lee Ungno Museum, Daegu. Composition (1970) and Composition (1970) are numbers two and three. Out of the 99 works by Yi Eungro in our catalogue, these are the 99 most famous, ranked, each with its year and museum, so you can choose the painting to order.
Top 10 Yi Eungro paintings, ranked
The travels of Marco Polo Series
This captivating piece draws its rich thematic wellspring from The travels of Marco Polo Series, a monumental body of work conceived by the masterful Korean-French artist, Yi Eungro. Far more than a mere depiction, this painting functions as a visual memoir—a dreamlike cartography of an unknown world viewed through the sophisticated lens of East Asian perspective meeting European curiosity. The very essence of the series speaks to cultural exchange and…
The travels of Marco Polo Series
In the evocative depths of The Travels of Marco Polo Series, we encounter a world where the boundaries between historical chronicle and personal dreamscape dissolve. Created by the master Lee Ungno in 1980, this particular piece serves as a window into a lost narrative—a fragment of a grand, seventy-nine-painting odyssey that was intended for a book never published. This sense of "unseen history" lends the work an aura of profound…
Yi Eungro paintings ranked 11 to 99
Yi Eungro paintings by period
Late Medieval
1965 – 1974 · 5 works in this listMature Period
1964 – 1981 · 20 works in this listLate Period
1976 – 1985 · 6 works in this listYi Eungro paintings by subject
The four most frequent subjects in this ranking, with the top painting for each.
Korean art 8 works
Landscape 5 works
Geometric forms 5 works
Symbolic imagery 4 works
Museums holding Yi Eungro's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Yi Eungro | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daegu | 99 | Untitled, Composition, Composition |
Yi Eungro by decade: the top painting of each
Works per decade
Select a decade to see its top painting.
Landscape
This painting is an early example that captures Ungno’s major step into abstract art. Although it is still suggestive of specific forms such as tree branches and leaves, the painting shows the artist’s inclination to a rather subjective interpretation of natural forms, which signalled the succeeding phase of his career in which he represented the feelings aroused by an object. In this work, Ungno abbreviated forms with his dynamic brushstrokes…
The travels of Marco Polo Series
This captivating piece draws its rich thematic wellspring from The travels of Marco Polo Series, a monumental body of work conceived by the masterful Korean-French artist, Yi Eungro. Far more than a mere depiction, this painting functions as a visual memoir—a dreamlike cartography of an unknown world viewed through the sophisticated lens of East Asian perspective meeting European curiosity. The very essence of the series speaks to cultural exchange and…
Yi Eungro paintings: common questions
What is the most famous painting by Yi Eungro?Show answer
Untitled (1969), Lee Ungno Museum, Daegu, ranks first, followed by Composition (1970) and Composition (1970).
What was Yi Eungro's age when Untitled was painted?Show answer
Yi Eungro was 65: Untitled is dated 1969, and Yi Eungro was born in 1904.
Which are the top 10 Yi Eungro paintings?Show answer
Untitled, Composition, Composition, I Ching 64 Hexagrams Sequence(山風蠱), I Ching 64 Hexagrams Sequence(澤風大過), I Ching 64 Hexagrams Sequence (火風鼎), Untitled, People, The travels of Marco Polo Series and The travels of Marco Polo Series. Year and museum for each are in the ranking above.
How many works by Yi Eungro do you list?Show answer
99 works by Yi Eungro are in our catalogue, dated 1950 to 1989.
Where are the original Yi Eungro paintings kept?Show answer
Mainly in Lee Ungno Museum (Daegu). See the museum table above for the full list.
Which period produced Yi Eungro's most famous paintings?Show answer
In 1970s: 52 of the 99 paintings ranked here date from that time, including Composition.
Which are the earliest and latest famous Yi Eungro paintings?Show answer
Earliest on this page: Landscape (1950). Latest: People (1989).
What are the main subjects of Yi Eungro's paintings?Show answer
Among the 99 paintings ranked here: Korean art (8), Landscape (5) and Geometric forms (5).
What medium are most Yi Eungro originals in?Show answer
Acrylic On Canvas, for 3 of the 99 paintings ranked here.
Which movement is Yi Eungro associated with?Show answer
Abstract expressionism, based on the paintings ranked on this page.
Which Yi Eungro originals are at the Lee Ungno Museum?Show answer
The Lee Ungno Museum, Daegu holds 99 of the paintings ranked here, including Untitled, Composition and Composition.
About the artist: Yi Eungro
**early life and training**
lee ungno, also known as yi eungro, was a korean-born french painter and printmaker born in séoul, south korea in 1904. his early life was marked by a brief stint at the hongseong botong hakyo (홍성보통학교, 홍城초등학교, 洪城普通學校), after which he dedicated himself to studying painting under yeomjae song tae-hoe from 1920.**artistic career in korea and japan**
lee ungno's artistic career began in earnest when he moved to seoul in 1922, becoming an apprentice to celebrated calligrapher-painter-photographer haegang kim gyu-jin. he primarily learned to paint the four gentlemen in the 'haegang style.' notably, his inkwash painting of a bamboo, mukjuk (묵죽, 墨竹, ink bamboo), won a prize in the 3rd annual joseon art exhibition. lee ungno consecutively won prizes in the joseon art exhibition throughout the colonial period. however, he believed that eastern ink painters should modernize their style. in the early 1930s, lee began producing inkwash landscapes influenced by new, modern eastern ink painting styles and naturalistic renditions found in western-style paintings.**international recognition and later life**
after training in traditional inkwash painting in korea from the 1920s to the 1930s, lee gradually experimented with western-style painting techniques in japan. his works from the 1950s showcase creative attempts at merging eastern medium and brushstrokes with western perspective and forms. lee ungno relocated to france in 1958, where he fully established his standing as an abstract artist. he is most known for his series of ink and paper collage, abstract letters, and crowd paintings that developed during his stay in france.- view yi eungro's artworks on AllPaintingsStore: [https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@/yi-eungro](https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@/yi-eungro)
- explore the musée national jean-jacques henner, a museum featuring a vast collection of art pieces, including those inspired by eastern styles: [https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@@/a@d3cew9-il-museo-musee-national-jean-jacques-henner-di-parigi-francia](https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@@/a@d3cew9-il-museo-musee-national-jean-jacques-henner-di-parigi-francia)
- discover more about the ilkhanid art movement, which also blends eastern and western influences: /en/art/show/art-d3cq2m-en/