Rank Badge with Single Crane Motif
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1800s
This Korean rank badge (danhak hyungbae) is a square textile insignia featuring an embroidered central motif of a single white crane with outstretched wings. The crane holds a sprig or fungus stem in its beak and soars among multi-colored, swirling clouds against a dark blue ground. The lower register displays rolling concentric waves with frothing crests surging around rock formations and floral shoots, with vertical banding visible near the lower edges.
Produced in Korea during the Joseon dynasty in the 1800s, the piece is fashioned from silk using a satin damask weave embellished with multicolored silk thread embroidery. It measures 25.4 by 25.4 cm (10 by 10 inches). The museum record notes no specific creator or inscriptions on the badge.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
In Joseon-dynasty Korea, square silk badges featuring birds or animals were worn on the front and back of official robes to denote bureaucratic hierarchy rather than serve merely as ornament. The specific animal depicted signaled the wearer's official rank, with the single crane motif designated for civil officials of the fourth or higher ranks. This badge was previously in the Kang Collection in New York before being acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art in 2019.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Silk, satin damask weave; silk thread embroidery
- Dimensions
- 25.4 x 25.4 cm (10 x 10 in.)
Technical characteristics
- Culture recorded
- Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Cleveland Museum of Art collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Rank Badge with Single Crane Motif
- Museum object number
- 2019.78.1
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.