OLD MAN AND ADORANTS-KOREAN PAINTING

INK AND COLOR ON PAPER (BACKED)

LATE CHOSON : CIRCA LATE 18TH EARLY 19TH CENTURY

Image 68.5 cm x 99 cm / 27” x 39 “

DESCRIPTION: A spirited painting infused with symbols of longevity (‘Soo’) and those of happiness (‘Bok’). The painting shows a gentle old man-perhaps the mountain spirit or a holy man, with two adorants in a mountainous landscape. Soo is expressed by cranes and turtles; Bok has peaceful birds and animals. The painting may be a reflection of the suppression of Buddhism in which Shamanistic elements became incorporated into the artistic cultural of Buddhist temples.