Cultural Post 1 (Artifact 1)

[Wonjun Kim]

This is one of the famous painting in Korea known as the 연화도. The painting consists of lotus flowers and cranes which have very special meanings. This painting is usually given to a newly brought couple. In the painting, there are lotus flowers and cranes. The lotus flowers represent that the couple should live happily ever after. The cranes represent being clean and humble as well as have many children. The overall meaning of this painting is that you should live diligently and humbly, and have many children as a loving couple. This painting is usually given from the parents because that is the heart of the parents when you get married.

[Wonjun Kim]

Because these are old painting styles, the paint contains a lot of pastel tones. Many old Korean style paintings were usually done in pastel tone rather than a more vibrant tone.

[June Choi]

I learned about this during one of my tutoring session with Jimin! I didn't get to see a full picture in color, and therefore I was trying to visualize the painting in my head as I was reading a descriptive passage about this. This helps so much to fully grasp the intensity of and meaning behind the painting. I like how the painting itself looks delicate wit soft, pastel tones and has the fragile birds flying over the flowers. It seems interesting that the birds are so disproportionately small compared to the flowers, but I think it adds more abstractness to the painting.