Namsingi (남신기)
Flag
1800-1900 (made)
1800-1900 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This 'Deity Flag' is one of the various types of military flags from the Joseon dynasty. Those flags are attached to a flagpole with leather straps, and come in five colours, with each colour symbolising one of the five directions where the troops holding the flag are positioned. The blue background here indicates the east, and its troop would have reacted to the position and movement of the flag during the battle. The vigorous male military leader with staring eyes, who rides a white steed amoung stylised clouds, has not been identified. His five-barred sceptre, square hat and flowing sleeves all suggest that he is a deity with exceptional powers. The rider's gaze is directed downwards, towards those who followed him and sought his protection.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Painted Silk, leather |
| Brief description | Blue silk flag painted with a male deity in military attire riding a white horse through clouds. |
| Physical description | The flag is made of sky-blue damask silk with a wide border on three sides of a deep purple damask. There are three pairs of leather ties for securement to a flag pole. The design, painted and stamped on both sides, depicts a male deity in military attire on horseback riding amongst clouds. Colour: Multi-coloured |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Purchased from Rev. Stanley Smith |
| Object history | Formerly in the collection of the Rev. Stanley T. Smith |
| Summary | This 'Deity Flag' is one of the various types of military flags from the Joseon dynasty. Those flags are attached to a flagpole with leather straps, and come in five colours, with each colour symbolising one of the five directions where the troops holding the flag are positioned. The blue background here indicates the east, and its troop would have reacted to the position and movement of the flag during the battle. The vigorous male military leader with staring eyes, who rides a white steed amoung stylised clouds, has not been identified. His five-barred sceptre, square hat and flowing sleeves all suggest that he is a deity with exceptional powers. The rider's gaze is directed downwards, towards those who followed him and sought his protection. |
| Bibliographic reference | Miller, Lesley Ellis, and Ana Cabrera Lafuente, with Claire Allen-Johnstone, eds. Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2021. ISBN 978-0-500-48065-6.
This object features in the publication Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion (2021) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.199-1920 |
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| Record created | February 3, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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