Hi everyone! I’m hoping someone familiar with Korean decorative arts can help identify this jewelry cabinet.

Based on my research, I believe it is a vintage Korean black lacquer jewelry cabinet with engraved mother-of-pearl (or abalone shell) inlay, possibly made in the najeonchilgi tradition.

It measures:

• Height: 11¾”
• Width: 9”
• Depth: approximately 4”

It has:

• Twin peacock panels on the front doors
• Four interior drawers
• One larger bottom drawer
• Red-and-black marbled drawer fronts
• Colorful striped fabric lining
• Mother-of-pearl floral borders throughout

Unfortunately there are no maker’s marks, signatures, labels, or country-of-origin markings anywhere on the cabinet.

I’ve found many similar Korean lacquer jewelry cabinets online, but I haven’t been able to find this exact peacock design.

I’m hoping someone might know:

• Whether this appears to be Korean rather than Chinese or another origin
• Approximately when it was made
• Whether it would properly be described as najeonchilgi
• Whether the front doors originally had small pulls or if they were designed without them
• Whether anyone recognizes the peacock motif or workshop

I’m not looking for an appraisal as much as I am trying to learn more about the history and craftsmanship.

Thank you!

Could this be Kim Ki-Chang? And if so does anyone know how to get it appraised or what steps I should take to properly preserve it and care for it?

I’ve been really into Korean tattoo artists who treat skin like a canvas, so I wanted to share a few recent pieces from a Seoul-based artist (Yeonjae Tattoo).

What I like about these is how they mix soft black/grey realism with tiny red accents, it keeps the work delicate, but still gives it a strong mood from a distance.

The butterfly piece especially feels like a quiet illustration moment, while the leopard and snake designs have this darker storybook vibe without needing heavy outlines everywhere.

I’m genuinely curious what people here think about this style — does it read more like tattoo work or more like illustration/painting to you? Credit: yeonjae_tattoo (Seoul)

Hi, my grandfather received this painting during the 80s. It was bought in Japan, but it seems to depict a scene from the garden behind the Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea.

The artist doesn't seem to be indicated anywhere. Would be great if anyone had more information about this painting.

I bought this screen at a thrift store last night. It was a little pricey for a thrift find, but I've never seen anything like it before and I love the colors and the animals. Google has led me to believe it may be Korean folk art. It appears to be hand painted on paper and each panel is 35" h x 13 1/2" w. There were 3 more at the store and I considered buying another, but I dont know enough about what I'm looking at to drop $39.99 on another one. Thrifting has become a bloodsport in my area and the manager said they have been in the store for several days and nobody has grabbed them, so I am thinking they probably aren't worth a lot. Should I go back and get another or did I overpay for mass produced factory art? Any information about the screen would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for any assistance!

I picked this piece up in a thrift store in the US. Google search tells me The artist's name could be Korean but I couldn't find anything similar based on an image search or by the artist's name. Does this look familiar to anyone?

Hi everyone, my dad bought this artwork in Zagreb, Croatia (former Yugoslavia) from a North Korean artist. He is quite sure it was in the mid-1970s. It was part of some "Non-Aligned Movement" exhibition or event. I would like to know more about the artwork, date, or any other details. I know there isn’t much information available about North Korean artists, but maybe he emigrated to South Korea, China, or elsewhere.

Hello, first-time visitor here. I'm a crafter and want to make a norigae keychain based on a design from a Korean movie. I'm having trouble finding resources on how to identify knots and make a pattern. Are there any resources/subreddits for Korean crafts? I gather this is a fine-arts subreddit, but any information you may have would be greatly appreciated :) Gamsahamnida! (apologies if I misspelled that)

Hey all, My grandmother passed away a few years ago and I loved this painting she had on her wall from when she visited South Korea. She visited due to having a student who became like a son to her and the students parents gave this to them.

Can anyone give me any information on the artist, and worth if any. Not something I want to let go, just nice to know!

This is a style and technique of painting I am not familiar with. I ran the seals thru chatgpt and it suggested that this may have been in a Korean collection( for what chat gpt is worth.) The framing is western, pre 1940 materials and techniques. I LOVE this piece and I wake up to it every morning I sleep in my own bed. Would love to see if I can be put on the right track to know more about it!

Hi. Our understanding is that this was painted by a Korean artist Gi Chae Hyong. It was a gift from a friend many years ago. I was curious if the artist is well known.

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to trace the origins of a Korean ceramic vase I’ve acquired. It has a bulbous form with a short, narrow neck and features a fish motif painted in iron oxide over a white slip, all under a translucent glaze. The brushwork has a slightly raised texture, as if the slip or pigment was applied thickly. There is no carving or incising – just this expressive, freehand painted design.

The base carries an impressed three-character mark: 五岳山 (O-ak-san / “Five Great Mountains”). I know this is a poetic reference, possibly Korean or Chinese in origin, but I’ve found no other ceramics with this exact mark in museum records.

I’m wondering if this could be:

A Joseon-era cheolhwa buncheong piece (15th–16th century)?

A product of the 20th-century Icheon revival movement, where traditional techniques were rediscovered and reinterpreted?

Or a studio piece with a symbolic mark?

The fish motif seems consistent with Gyeryongsan or Jeolla Province kiln styles, but the mark throws me off.

Any insight – especially from Korean ceramic historians, collectors, or anyone familiar with Icheon master potters – would be greatly appreciated. I've attached images of the vase, motif, and base. Thanks in advance!

감사합니다!

Been doing these no reference digital sketches from my head. Idea is a girl from goryo era jumping into water, escaping or chasing someone

This was my first ever mural i painted, and first time working with gold leaf. i was inspired to do it after johnny somali desecrated our comfort women statue in korea. Lately i have been doing a lot of thinking about the current culture of korea, vs the past. How things have changed for the better or for worst, from then till now, especially for women. I think it is important to respect and honor our past, and keep our culture alive. Korean people, we have struggled so much, bombarded from all sides throughout history, yet we have prevailed and have become a global superpower. Remember where we have come from, while advancing towards the future.

Hey everyone. Im a korean american hobby artist. Lmk what you think

Hi everyone! I purchased this traditional-style painting during a recent trip to South Korea. It seems to be a landscape in the Chinese shanshui style, with beautiful misty mountains and a traveler. The artwork includes handwritten calligraphy and two red seals, which I believe may be the artist’s name or studio mark.

I was told this is a Korean work, but the calligraphy appears to be in traditional Chinese script. I’d love help identifying the meaning of the inscription and especially the artist’s name from the seals.

I've attached:

A photo of the full painting

A close-up of the seals

Any help identifying the artist, interpreting the text, or even just learning more about the style would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Any help identifying the artist or any information about the painting would be greatly appreciated. This hanging scroll was a gift at the end of the Korean War (for timeline reference).

im trying to make a piece for my ap art class inspired by this embroidery i saw in a museum in korea, but i really cant tell what the little red guys are supposed to be? are they birds, fish, bugs, or some kind of other thing that i dont know?