이 글은 1954년 9월 천일화랑에서 대한미술협회와 서울신문사 주최로 열린 김중현, 구본웅, 이인성 《遺作三人展》의 기획 의도와 전시 의의를 살펴보는 데 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 당시 제작된 전시 리플릿과 포스터, 사진, 신문기사 등을 바탕으로 출품작의 행방과 소장가들을 고찰하였다. 이 전시에는 총 39점의 작품이 나왔으나 신문에 사진이 실린 일부 작품을 제외하고는 출품작의 실상을 알 수 없었다. 다만 소장가 분석을 통해 작가와의 관계나 행적을 파악할 수 있었던 점은 성과라 하겠다. 《遺作三人展》이 갖는 의의는 6.25전쟁으로 어수선하던 시절 작고한 김중현·구본웅·이인성 작품을 한자리에 모아 재조명하고, 이를 계기로 연구의 발판을 만들었다는 점이다. 전시를 기획한 천일화랑은 종합적인 미술센터를 표방하며 이완석이 종로구 예지동에 개관한 화랑으로, 반년을 채 넘기지 못하고 문을 닫았지만 《현대미술작가전》과 《遺作三人展》과 같은 전시를 기획해, 한국화랑사에 자취를 남겼다.
This article examines the Three-Person Exhibition of Posthumous Works, which showcased artworks by Kim Junghyun, Go Bon-ung, and Lee Insung, all of whom passed away during the Korean War (1950-53), at Cheonil Gallery in September 1954. Hosted by the Korean Art Association and the Seoul Newspaper, the exhibition was mounted by the bereaved families of the three artists and their colleagues to commemorate the artists and honor their accomplishments. The primary goal of this study was to investigate the whereabouts of the exhibited works and their collectors, using exhibition leaflets, posters, photographs, and newspaper articles from the time. However, out of the 39 featured works, only a few could be identified, especially those documented in newspaper photographs. The titles of the works printed in the exhibition leaflets serve as clues to information about the works, such as their subject matter, including figures, landscapes, and still life. The list of collectors allows us to examine the relationships between each artist and their collectors, their activities, and their status in the post- war Korean art world, thereby contributing to existing scholarship. While the collectors of Kim Junghyun’s works were his colleagues, it was the bereaved families who collected most of Gu Bon-ung’s avant-garde works. Contemporary artists, such as Park Soo-keun and Kim In-seung, acquired Lee Insung’s works. This suggests that different groups of collectors were involved in the collection process following the exhibition, providing key information essential for tracking down the whereabouts of individual works. The significance of the Three-Person Exhibition of Posthumous Works lies in its gathering of works by artists who had died amid the chaos of the Korean War. This historic exhibition established a solid foundation for research on Kim Junghyun, Gu Bon-ung, and Lee Insung, situating their positions within the history of modern Korean art. Lee Wan-suk, who curated the exhibition of posthumous works, opened the gallery at Cheonil Department Store in Yeji-dong, Jongno-gu, proclaiming it to be a comprehensive art center. However, the gallery was closed within less than half a year due to operational difficulties. Despite this, Cheonil Gallery mounted groundbreaking exhibitions that remain a legacy in the history of modern and contemporary Korean art, such as the Exhibition of Contemporary Artists and the Three-Person Exhibition of Posthumous Works.