Chaekgeori, late 1800s, Six-panel folding screen, private collection

Chaekgeori (), translated as "books and things", is a genre of still-life

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

from the Joseon period of Korea that features books as the dominant subject. The ''chaekgeori'' tradition flourished from the second half of the 18th century to the first half of the 20th century and was enjoyed by all members of the population, from the king to the commoners, revealing the infatuation with books and learning in Korean culture.

Names

Scholar's books and things, Yi Eungrok, Asian Art Museum San Franscisco 1998

''Chaekgeori'' that features bookshelves is called ''chaekgado'' (). ''Chaekgeori'' is also known as ''munbangdo'' ().

History

During the 18th century, Joseon experienced a golden age following the turbulence of the 17th century; the arts flourished, and new artistic themes and genres emerged. Developed in the 18th century, ''chaekgeori'' was personally propagated by King Jeongjo, a bibliophile who promoted studious learning, and embraced by the aristocratic

yangban The ''yangban'' () were part of the traditional ruling class or gentry of dynastic Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The ''yangban'' were mainly composed of highly educated civil servants and military officers—landed or unlanded aristocrats ...

class of Joseon society. Early ''chaekgeori'' paintings were prized for their illusionistic realism. In the 19th century, ''chaekgeori'' spread to the '' minhwa'' folk art of the common class, which resulted in more expressionist and abstract depictions, and the diminished prominence of bookshelves as a primary motif. Court ''chaekgeori'' were used in both ritual ceremonies and as decoration, but ''minhwa chaekgeori'' were displayed solely as a decoration in homes.

Influences

King Jeongjo promoted cultural exchange with the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-spea ...

, leading to increased exposure and importation of Chinese and European cultural items. Some of the depicted items in ''chaekgeori'' are of foreign origin from China, Japan, and the West. ''Chaekgado'' incorporated Western linear perspective and shading techniques, and the depicted bookshelves reveal influence of the ''duobaoge'' treasure cabinets of the Qing dynasty, though more symmetrical and systematic. The ''duobaoge'' itself was influenced by the European cabinet of curiosities brought into China by Jesuit missionaries.

Gallery

File:Chaekgeori, late 1800s, Yi Taek-gyun, Cleveland Museum of Art 2011.37.png File:Chaekgeori,_Late_nineteenth-century,_Private_Collection.jpg

References

{{Authority control Korean art Korean painting