Scholarship

1880

Silk women's purse with silk cord and woven embellishmentsThis embroidered pouch shows how the embroiderer beautified even a small accessory. It is made of twill damask. It is secured with decorative green knotted ties. The ties were used to attach the pouch to the wearer's belt or dress. Since Korean clothing did not have pockets, pouches such as this one were both ornamental and functional. The conventional flower patterns were decorated. \This type of pouch was called 'kwijumoni', which meant by 'a pouch with two ears'. Seen from the colour, it might have been of men's uses. The colours of pouches used by men were such neutral tones as jade, grey and yellow, while those of female ear pouches were crimson, pink, yellow green or light purple. After 1884, vests and handbags were introduced to Korea, which replaced the pouch used by men and women. Thus the use of pouches gradually declined.