INCREDIBLE PAINTING ON SILK DISPLAYED FOR FIRST TIME AFTER 400 YEARS OF CREATION

One way a culture expresses its ideas and values is through folk paintings. These works, which are frequently produced by untrained artists, are significant components of a society's culture and serve as a window into the visual language of the era in which they were formed. The magpie and tiger are frequently seen together in traditional folk art paintings in Korean culture. For generations, the two cherished creatures have been depicted in artwork. Their coupling is known as hojakdo, where "jak" stands for magpie and "ho" for tiger. The Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul is currently hosting an appropriately named exhibition called Tigers and Magpies, which highlights the different forms these paintings have traditionally taken.

Why are magpies and tigers together? There are hypotheses as to why, and one theory starts with tigers. According to Korean tradition, tigers can ward off bad luck. Traditional art has long used them as a theme, and since then, the creature has been combined with other animals to add additional layers of meaning.

It is thought that the pairings led to the development of Hojak paintings. One such is Chulsanho. Translated as "tiger descending the mountain," it alludes to depictions of the large cat establishing its dominance over animals that have been mimicking it, such as wolves and foxes, which are lower on the food chain. Another is called gyeongjo, which translates to "surprised bird." These paintings depict a feathery creature being delighted and taken aback by the birth of a tiger cub. Another example is Yuho, which translates as "nursing tiger" and shows a mother tiger caring for her young. Here, it represents a remarkable individual with a gift from birth.