Hidden in the Folds

I spy, I spy with my little eye something beginning with… a book. This is a ch’aekkado, 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.