Korean ink painting of two elderly scholars
08 December 2025
Description

Korean monochrome ink painting on paper, depicting two elderly men in traditional white hanbok and black gat hats standing on a grassy hillside with distant mountains in the background. A small red single-character seal appears at the lower left; the artist is unknown. Medium: ink on off-white paper, currently unmounted and unframed. Condition appears generally good for age, with light overall paper toning, a few minor handling creases and surface marks, slightly softened corners and edges, but no major tears or losses visible.

Dimensions

Height: 12" Width" 10"

Acquired from
Inherited
For sale
Yes
Answered within about 21 hours
By David U.
Dec 09, 15:21 UTC
Fair Market Value
$80 - $200 USD
Insurance Value $0 USD
What does this mean?

Hello, this item is a Korean monochrome ink painting on paper showing two elderly scholars wearing traditional hanbok robes and gat hats, standing on a sloped landscape with distant mountains. The brushwork is controlled and linear, with light ink washes defining the terrain. The format and style align with mid twentieth century Korean literati revival painting, which often drew on Joseon dynasty themes. The small red one character seal in the lower left supports an artist workshop practice but does not correspond to any known signature used by recognized masters. The paper shows natural toning, softened edges, and light creasing, consistent with age and unmounted storage.

Ink paintings of this type by anonymous or lesser known Korean artists sell regularly in regional auctions. Values depend on subject, brush quality, and condition. Comparable mid century scholar figure paintings of similar size, about 12 inches by 10 inches, generally achieve between USD 80 and USD 200 at auction, with higher prices for named artists.

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