Artwork
Pride, Geung ji
Pride, Geung ji is a print by Ch'ang-yon Ham. It dates from 1950 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Pride, Geung ji is a black‑and‑white linocut created by Korean artist Ham Ch'ang‑yŏn sometime in the latter half of the twentieth century. The work measures roughly the size of a standard print sheet and is executed entirely in relief printing, a method that allows for strong contrasts between line and tone.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a solitary woman seated inside a large woven basket, her smile evident in the bold, uncomplicated lines of her face. She grasps the basket’s rim with both hands, while the basket rests on the ground beside rounded forms that may be stones or fruit, suggesting a quiet, domestic moment within a broader fishing context implied by the title.
Technique & Style
Ham employs the characteristic heavy lines of linocut to render the basket’s texture, creating a near‑three‑dimensional effect through dense cross‑hatching and shading. The figure’s features are reduced to clear, confident strokes, emphasizing expression over detail and reinforcing the graphic quality typical of mid‑century Korean printmaking.
Context
Produced between 1950 and 2000, the print reflects a period when Korean artists increasingly explored traditional subjects through modern print techniques. Linocut, with its accessibility and bold visual language, was often used to depict everyday life and labor, aligning the work with contemporary movements that valued both cultural heritage and social realism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ham drew village life on scraps of old paper, sketching by oil lamps after farm work.
