The paintings in this collection represent popular decorative traditions used in Korean homes, rather than the Chinese literati style favoured by officials in the Confucianism-dominated society. Themes covered will include calligraphy, landscape, bird-and-flower, mythical animals, and portraits. A popular subject represented with some fine examples is the so-called book screen (Chaek’kori), a genre adopted with relish by Koreans, artist and patron alike.

Asian gallery, ground level