Ch’aekkado
Korea. Yi Ŭngnok (1808-after 1871), before 1864. Ten-panel folding screen. Ink and color on paper, 153 x 352 cm (overall). National Museum of Korea, Seoul.
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Hidden in the Folds
story by Ellie van Eijk.I spy, I spy with my little eye something beginning with… a book. This is a <em>ch’aekkado</em>, a type of still life painting that became immensely popular in the 18th and 19th centuries in Korea. It is not just a genre of painting; it is also a type of folding screen. Perhaps it reminds you of a curio cabinet, or a stylishly decorated library, or perhaps something else? In any case, this painting has a story to tell. Hidden between the folds of this screen are numerous symbolic messages – but only for those who can read them, of course.