Accession Number
2004/1.311

Title
Mouri jang (chest with 3 drawers and central double doors and butterfly brass fittings)

Artist(s)
Korean

Artist Nationality
Korean (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
mid 19th century

Medium & Support
pear wood with brass fittings

Dimensions
24 1/2 in. x 29 1/8 in. x 16 11/16 in. ( 62.2 cm x 74 cm x 42.4 cm )

Credit Line
Gift of Bruce and Inta Hasenkamp and Museum purchase made possible by Elder and Mrs. Sang-Yong Nam

Label copy
The women’s quarters of an upper-class Korean home in the Joseon dynasty were furnished with several types of storage chests and boxes, for bedding, clothing, sewing materials, stationery, and so forth. This low storage chest, with three drawers and two doors, is a classic example of a bedside chest for a lady’s room. The feminine quality of the piece is further enhanced by the use of brass fittings in the shape of butterflies and bats (a symbol of good luck) for the hinges and drawer pulls.
Maribeth Graybill, The Enduring Art of the Korean Potter, December 12, 2004-November 6, 2005

Subject matter
The women’s quarters of an upper-class Korean home in the Joseon dynasty were furnished with several types of storage chests and boxes, for bedding, clothing, sewing materials, stationery, and so forth.
This is a classic example of a bedside chest for a lady’s room. The brass fittings in the shape of butterflies and bats are symbols of good luck.

Physical Description
This is a low pear wood storage chest, with three drawers and two doors. The butterfly and bat brass fittings for the hinges and drawer pulls add 'feminine' touches.

Primary Object Classification
Furniture and Furniture Accessories

Primary Object Type
chest

Additional Object Classification(s)
Wood and Woodcarving

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
bats (game equipment)
brasswork (visual works)
chests with drawers
furniture
wood (plant material)