Books and Scholars' Possessions
| Culture | Korean |
|---|---|
| Title | Books and Scholars' Possessions |
| Date | 1930–1945 |
| Medium | Ink and color on paper |
| Dimensions | Image (each painting): 42 × 15 in. (106.7 × 38.1 cm) Overall (mounted): 67 1/2 × 160 in. (171.5 × 406.4 cm) |
| Credit Line | Museum purchase with funds from the Thomas T. Solley Endowed Fund for Asian Art, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 2018.1 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
Eight fold screen with paintings of books, ceramics, flowers, and curiosities.
Stacks of books and other objects associated with knowledge and scholarly pursuits, including notebooks, writing implements, and eyeglasses, are neatly stacked together with ceramics, fruits, and flowers on each panel of this folding screen. Aristocratic Korean collectors and scholars used these carefully curated still life paintings, known as munbangdo or chaekgeori (books and things), to display their erudition, sophistication, and taste.
Munbangdo emerged in the late eighteenth century, a time of peace and stability in Korea after the destructive Manchurian and Japanese invasions of the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The objects depicted in this genre often convey auspicious symbolism and reveal a fascination with foreign goods resulting from expanded global trade. Munbangdo continued to enjoy popularity through the mid-twentieth century.
--
Chaekgeori or Scholar’s screens such as this one, can loosely be described as a still life genre painting suitable for the scholar or any other individual wishing to visually inform others of their erudition, sophistication and taste. The earliest known Chaekgeori screens date to the late eighteenth century, a time of peace and stability after the destructive Manchurian and Japanese invasions of the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. With increased prosperity art patrons and scholars could once again enjoy the accoutrements of a genteel life. This type of painting continued to enjoy popularity through the mid-twentieth century.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
Request this image
The Eskenazi Museum of Art provides images of its collection, free of charge, upon request.
This artwork is under copyright protection. You can request the image and it will be emailed to you when the request is complete.
Cite this page
"Books and Scholars' Possessions | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=2018.1