Minneapolis Institute of Art

Hat

Korea

Date

late 19th–early 20th century

Medium

Horsetail hair and silk

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Hats like this one, called gat, were an essential part of a man’s attire in Joseon dynasty Korea (1392–1897). A gat was made of horsehair and silk, built on a bamboo frame, and then lacquered. A man would place the gat over an inner hat called a tanggeon and tie it under the chin with long ribbons. In Korea, Confucianist thought dominated learning and formed the basis of moral and cultural standards. To demonstrate their respectability, men of the ruling yangban class wore gat at all times, even at home. Asia

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