''Gukjeong chumyo'' is an 18th-century

Korean painting Korean painting includes paintings made in Korea or by overseas Koreans on all surfaces. The earliest surviving Korean paintings are murals in the Goguryeo tombs, of which considerable numbers survive, the oldest from some 2,000 years ago (mostly ...

depicting a crouching cat under a wild chrysanthemum on an autumn day. It was drawn by

Byeon Sang-byeok Byeon Sangbyeok was an 18th century Korean painter of the Miryang Byeon clan during the late period of the Korean Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). Byeon is famous for his precise depictions of animals and people in detailed brushwork. Biograph ...

, who usually painted animals during the late period of the

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and r ...

(1392–1910). ''Gukjeong chumyo'' literally means "An autumn cat in a garden with chrysanthemum" and is of the ''yeongmohwa'', or

animal painting An animal painter is an artist who specialises in (or is known for their skill in) the portrayal of animals. The '' OED'' dates the first express use of the term "animal painter" to the mid-18th century: by English physician, naturalist and wr ...

, genre. It is painted on paper with light coloring over the

ink and wash painting Ink wash painting ( zh, t=水墨畫, s=水墨画, p=shuǐmòhuà; ja, 水墨画, translit=suiboku-ga or ja, 墨絵, translit=sumi-e; ko, 수묵화, translit=sumukhwa) is a type of Chinese ink brush painting which uses black ink, such as tha ...

(''sumukhwa''). The size of the painting is in height and in width. It is currently stored at Gansong Art Museum in

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

. Byeon Sang-byeok is renowned for his skillful depictions of cats and chickens, so he was referred to by the nicknames "Byeon goyangi" (literally "Byeon cat") and "Byeon dak" (Byeon rooster) during his lifetime. His representative paintings include '' Myojakdo'' (Painting of Cats and Sparrows), and '' Hwajomyogudo'' (Painting of Flowers, Birds, and Puppies). The cat in the picture is crouching and gazing at something, and seems ready to swiftly run off.

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*{{in lang, ko}
동물그림에 사연을 담았네!
at Hankyoreh 21 Korean painting Joseon dynasty Gansong Art Museum Cats in art

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