Scholar's accoutrements (Ch'aekkori)

ICh'aekkori paintings always included books, bronzes (some of them with incense implements for the rituals of ancestor worship), boxes of various kinds, lacquer, porcelain flower vases and bowls of fruit, writing paraphernalia (rolled scrolls of paper, brushes, ink stone, and ink stick), glass fishbowls, among other objects. There is literary evidence for the tradition of ch'aekkori from at the late eighteenth century. Screens of this subjet became a popular status symbol after King Chongjo (r. 1776-1800) placed one behind his desk in the men's quarters of the palace. Ch'aekkori paintings were also popular among ordinary people and always were painted in bright colors, and they have been considered folk paintings.

For a full discussion of ch'aekkori screens see Kay E. Black and Edward W. Wagner, "Court Style Ch'aekkori," Hopes and Aspirations: Decorative paintins of Korea, exh. cat. (San Francisco: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, 1998): 21-35.

Another screen of this subjet sold in these Rooms, 18 September, 2002, lot 425.