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Designs of Joseon Dynasty Mother-of-pearl Lacquerware
During the Joseon dynasty, the splendor and Buddhist features of Goryeo mother-of-pearl lacquerware gradually disappeared under the influence of Confucianism. The subsequent foreign invasions of the Imjin War and the Qing invasion throughout the 16th and 17th centuries influenced the production of the light industry. The artisans began to produce crafts for individuals, where the pattern decorations of the lacquerware showed such transition in style. From the mid-Joseon dynasty and onwards, newly emerges designs, such as the Four Gentlemen (sagunja) and birds and flowers showcased free arrangement and realistic depictions reflecting the era's style.