Doll Item Number: Ed1.138 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Figure representing a person on a flat backing of white paper. Front view is depicted of the figure which is made of cloth lightly padded to give a three-dimensional effect having each portion made of a separate piece of cloth with painted details. Hands are made of paper with the figure's left hand holding a plain closed fan. Face is made of white silk. Wearing a black straight-sided hat with a flat crown, and a wide brim, a patterned white silk robe, a dark blue silk sleeveless coat tied under the arms with red thread, white leggings, white socks, and low black shoes. Two pieces of white flannel hemmed in light red-pink silk thread with a loop of the same at the top are sewn to the paper backing.

History Of Use

Probably made for sale to European and North Americans, possibly under missionary influence. Figure represents Korean upper class man of late 19th century to early 20th century. The black hat, made of horsehair or silk and bamboo, is now worn only by elderly rural men. Under the hat men wore their hair in a topknot, with a horsehair band around the head. The hat was tied under the chin with black ribbons. The traditional fan with curved sides was used only by the upper classes.

Narrative

Collected by J. H. Morris while he was chief engineer for Seoul Railway, Korea.