Three-tiered Table

Joseon · 2F · Calligraphy and Painting · Wood and Lacquer Crafts

A takja is a piece of furniture for stacking books on each tier or for displaying scholar's-studio articles. This three-tier example has a hinged door at the bottom, making that level cabinet-like, with two drawers above it for added storage; placing drawers at the lower part belongs to a later style. The frame is built of hard chamchuk (Chinese toon) wood, the panels of paulownia, and the centers of the drawers and door of black-streaked persimmon wood with natural ink-like markings, bringing out a bilateral symmetry. The spare composition of its lines harmonizes beautifully with the abstract yet natural grain of the persimmon wood.

See it in person at the National Museum of Korea — 2F · Calligraphy and Painting · Wood and Lacquer Crafts

Source: based on official e-museum records (National Museum of Korea).