Gibbons in a Landscapeearly 1900s · Study 1996.256

Context from the museum

In this folding screen, gibbons playfully interact with each other. In Korean paintings, gibbons were less frequently depicted than in their Chinese and Japanese counterparts. However, they became popular toward the end of the 1800s, possibly due to an influx of Chinese and Japanese decorative arts. Gibbons symbolize good fortune, but as paired with the red autumn foliage, specifically refer to professional success, such as passing the government examination and getting promoted to a higher position. The large ripe peach held by one gibbon bears another symbolic meaning: prosperity and longevity.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Gibbons were often presented to the Joseon royal court as diplomatic gifts from the Japanese government.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting only measurement for Gibbons in a Landscape is 393.7 cm wide and 104.8 cm high, equivalent to approximately 155.0 × 41.3 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 3.76:1. The rectangular bounding area is 4.13 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 131.2% of the span before adding a frame. That exceeds the example wall width, so a smaller reference wall would not reproduce the recorded scale. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Gibbons in a Landscape in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Six-panel folding screen; ink and color on hemp, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 393.7 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?