16th or 17th century

Puppy Playing with a Pheasant Feather

The genre of animal painting was first recognized as an independent subject in Korea in the eleventh century. During the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), the genre gained further importance as one of the three subjects included in the official proficiency examination for court painters. Yi Am, a descendant of the Joseon royal family, enjoyed great success as a painter not only in Korea, but also in Japan, where his images were appreciated and studied. He specialized in animal painting, and had a particular interest in dogs, as seen in this work.