Northeast Asian History Network

Southern Wall of the Western Auxiliary Chamber - Portrait of the Deceased - maid2

This is a detailed view of the maid directly to the left of the noblewoman on the southern wall of the western auxiliary chamber in Anak Tomb No. 3. This maid appears much younger than the maid to her left, and a red earring distinguishes her from the others. Although the object in her left hand resembles a fan, it is in fact a type of visor prevalent in ancient China known as a Pyeon-myeon. It was used by aristocrats to cover their face from strangers as a display of social etiquette. The handle is made from bamboo, and each individual node was expressed by the artist. The maid's hairstyle is looped and raised, identical to the maid to her left. Continuing the trend, her hair features red hairpins and straps to secure her hair. The artwork is an excellent example of realism from the Koguryo era.The maid is wearing a yellow Jeogori (traditional Korean upper garment) and a white inner-Jeogori. The neckline of the Jeogori features red Seons (accents on garments mimicking the black feathers on a crane’s neck or wingtips, influenced by Siberian shamanism). Although most of the maid's lower body is covered by the noblewoman, her wide, creased skirt is partially visible. Although the maid's attire isn't nearly as extravagant as the noblewoman, her Jeogori is relatively fancy, indicating that her status is higher than the other maids in the portrait. Similar to the noblewoman, this maid's overall appearance is voluptuous and solemn. Similar to the nobleman's portrait of the deceased, the facial features of the figures do not convey a sense of individual personality. This is a common characteristic of ancient paintings.