Portrait of an Officialearly 1800s · Study 1999.45

Context from the museum

The quest of capturing one’s spirit through imagery held a special place in the tradition of portrait making in East Asia. A portrait’s resemblance to the subject was considered to be a way to transmit the sitter’s spirit to the viewer. A three-quarter view, much preferred in Joseon-period portraits like this one, allows the viewer to examine the sitter’s personality or spirit without an exchange of glances. Dressed in a pale pink court uniform, the gentleman sits on a chair draped with leopard skin, a symbol of royal favor. Due to the missing inscription, which was likely trimmed off, we cannot identify him. Yet, we know a few things: His uniform informs us that he worked in the royal court sometime during the 1700s or later because the color of office uniforms changed from dark green to pale pink in the early 1700s. Considered to be an important historical family relic, this type of full-length portrait was often placed above the spirit house and venerated during ancestral worship rituals.

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

A detail to notice

A piece of leopard skin covering the chair is a typical gift from the royal court to court officials.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting only measurement for Portrait of an Official is 76.4 cm wide and 147.7 cm high, equivalent to approximately 30.1 × 58.1 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.52:1. The rectangular bounding area is 1.13 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 25.5% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 111.8 cm on each side before adding a frame. 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 Portrait of an Official in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 76.4 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?