Cleveland Museum of Art

Scholar Playing a Qin

Date

1800s

Medium

album leaf; ink and color on silk

Culture

Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)

Department

Korean Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The painting invites viewers to an intimate qin, or zither, recital in the cool breezy night under the moon. The musician at the center gently strums the strings, while his servant boy is drowsing, without realizing the tea pot is steaming. In older times, playing a musical instrument was considered an effective way to cultivate one's spiritual and mental balance. The Korean zither with six strings, depicted in this painting, was often played by men.

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