Painting of Mice Nibbling on a Watermelon

This is one of the paintings of grass and insects painted on an eight-panel folding screen by Shin Saimdang (1504–1551), a renowned Korean woman artist of the mid-Joseon Period. She was not only an artist, but also a writer, calligraphist, and poet. She was the mother of the Korean Confucian scholar Yi I. Often held up as a model of Confucian ideals, her respectful nickname was Eojin Eomeoni (어진 어머니; "Wise Mother").

Here we see a very sweet scene with watermelons, mice, and butterflies, where the delicate touch, stable composition, and clear colors are evidenced. Shin Saimdang has created many paintings with animals and insects. What's interesting is that this composition was often used as an embroidery design by successive generations.

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P.S. Discover beautiful screen paintings by Kiyohara Yukinobu, a Japanese female master of the Kanō school.