Ginkgo wood
19th century

This government official’s small dining table would have been used to carry food for meals served in the government office, or for nearby outdoor dining. The table would have been carried over the head, and was therefore thoughtfully designed around the human body.

Nickel
19th century

This engraved brazier would have been used by a woman of the noble class during the Joseon era. A noble woman of the era would travel by palanquin, and this portable brazier would be filled with hot coals and used to keep her warm during her travel.

Ink and color on silk
Early 1900s

The figure in this Joseon era portrait is wears the intricate green robe (단령, 團領) and accompanying hat (오사모, 烏紗帽) of an important official. His hands are lightly folded as he looks straight ahead, as if gazing directly at the viewer.

Crude iron
19th century

A “deumeu” (Korean, 드므) is a large, widely shaped iron vessel typically found in a Korean royal palace or temple, where it would be placed around the four sides of an important building and used to store water.

Ginkgo wood
19th century

This is a small medicine box used by physicians when visiting the king, carrying a few simple medicinal herbs and acupuncture tools. Both the front and rear faces of the medicine cabinet are carved with motifs of longevity.

Earthenware
6th century

This earthenware jar has a wide mouth and round ears with holes attached at the shoulders, and features a generally round body in a bluish-gray color. It has a round bottom, so it was likely used on a high stand.

Pine wood, bamboo 
19th century

This Joseon-era seal box was made with pine wood and overlayed with a thin layer of interwoven black bamboo, creating a checkered surface that subtly reflects light, and revealing a simple and understated elegance.