Workmen at a Forge - 18th Century Korean Painting by Kim Hong-Do

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This unique hanging scroll exhibits a perfect reproduction of masterpiece of Kim Hong-Do better known as Danwon (1745-1805?), a great court painter of Joseon dynasty. He is known as the first Korean painter to extensively portray Korean daily life, especially the life of the lower classes in a manner analogous to the Dutch Masters. His painting focuses on people and their activities, with the background barely illustrated. Because of this, his paintings today are valued almost as much for the insight they shed on daily life in Joseon dynasty as for their inherent aesthetic value.