Artwork Page for Pair of Chopsticks

Details / Information for Pair of Chopsticks

Pair of Chopsticks

청동 젓가락 [靑銅箸]

918–1392

Korea, Goryeo dynasty

(918–1392)
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Medium
bronze
Measurements
Overall: 24.5 cm (9 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of John L. Severance 1921.661
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

In contrast to the Chinese and Japanese, Koreans still prefer metal chopsticks (stainless steel and brass) to wooden ones.

Description

In Korea, chopsticks made of metal such as brass, silver, and gold were excavated from ancient tombs and ruins dated to the 500s at the earliest. Burial goods often include utilitarian objects such as table wares and utensils because the dead were believed to need them in the afterlife.
A pair of bronze chopsticks consists of two slender rods tapering from top to bottom, their vertical forms slightly irregular. Near the upper end, several narrow, horizontal bands are incised into the metal. The dark, mottled green and gray surface displays a weathered patina, with glints of light highlighting small metallic patches. These elongated forms showcase a contrast between the rhythmic textured engravings and the smooth, tapering shafts.

Pair of Chopsticks

918–1392

Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)

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