• Attributed to Ham Yundeok (active, 16th century)
• Joseon Dynasty, mid-16th century
• Ink and light color on silk
• duk 2097

Beneath a towering cliff on the left, a lone figure rides a donkey. In East Asian painting, such a rider often symbolizes a refined literati savoring the beauty of nature or a recluse who has withdrawn from official life. This painting focuses solely on the rider, emphasizing the contrast between the figure’s upright posture and the donkey’s rounded back, which appears weary and burdened. The simplified and restrained depiction of the donkey further contrasts with the bold brushwork of the cliff—marked by stark black-and-white contrasts—and the hanging vines, as well as the expressive rendering of the figure, characterized by variations in brush thickness.