About the Artwork
Ox horn decoration, known as hwagak, was unique to Korea and mainly used for sewing boxes, small chests, and clothes boxes of high-born women. Each panel is a self-contained scene of propitious images: the paired dragon and phoenix are emblems of masculinity and femininity; the deer, crane and tortoise symbolize long life; and birds, flowers, and butterflies signify marital bliss. The laborious and time-consuming hwagak technique requires a horn to be soaked or steamed with water, flattened, separated into thin layers, cut into uniform rectangles, painted on the reverse side, and glued to a wooden frame with the painted side facing inward. Finally, the outer surface was polished to a brilliant luster. The finished work shows us an exuberant view of the Chosŏn woman’s world.
Box with Design of Auspicious Symbols
early 20th century
----------
----------
Korean
Korean
Ink and paint on ox horn panels on wood, ray skin, and metal
Overall: 10 1/4 × 20 3/4 × 12 1/4 inches (26 × 52.7 × 31.1 cm)
Furniture Accessories
Asian Art
Founders Society Purchase, New Endowment Fund and funds from the Korean Community
1986.3
This work is in the public domain.
Markings
------
Provenance
(Klaus F. Naumann)
1986-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)
For more information on provenance and its important function in the museum, please visit:
Provenance pageExhibition History
Please note: This section is empty
The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.
We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.
Suggest FeedbackPublished References
Please note: This section is empty
We regularly update our object record as new research and findings emerge, and we welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.
Suggest FeedbackCatalogue Raisoneé
Please note: This section is empty
Credit Line for Reproduction
Korean, Box with Design of Auspicious Symbols, early 20th century, ink and paint on ox horn panels on wood, ray skin, and metal. Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase, New Endowment Fund and funds from the Korean Community, 1986.3.
Feedback
We regularly update our object record as new research and findings emerge, and we welcome your feedback for correction or improvement.
Suggest Feedback