Arkivism
Set of Four Painted Characters
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Set of Four Painted Characters

early 1900s · hanging scroll, ink and color on paper; unmounted

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

This set of four colorful hanging scrolls may have been used in an outdoor Buddhist ritual to evoke heavenly blessings. Each hanging scroll bears four different characters: tiger, dragon, whistle, and recite. Traditionally, tiger and dragon belong to the four directional guards, respectively west and east.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineSet of Four Painted Characters, early 1900s. Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper; unmounted; overall: 236.5 x 80.3 cm (93 1/8 x 31 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth in memory of Alan Priest, 1998.119
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