Examining Antiques at Literati Gathering

Art Historical Context

"Examining Antiques atati Gathering," an 18th-century album leaf by Korean artist Wang Li Mu, an intimate moment among Joseon dynasty scholars. Rendered in ink and color on silk (13 7/8 x 12 in.), this delicate painting depicts men gathered around tables, intently appraising antique objects—a scene evoking the refined pursuits of the yangban elite. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 5, it resides in the Metropolitan Museum of's Asian Art Department. During the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), Confucian ideals shaped literati culture, where gatherings like this fostered intellectual exchange throu...