A Pair of Rank Badges with Single Crane Motif
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1800s
This pair of rank badges (*danhak hyungbae*) was produced in Korea during the Joseon dynasty in the 1800s. Created from silk in a satin damask weave and embroidered with silk thread, each square badge measures 25.4 by 25.4 cm, with a mounted measurement of 43.2 by 78.1 cm.
Each panel features a central white crane depicted in flight with outstretched wings against a background of stylized clouds rendered in multiple colors. The lower portion includes repeating wave motifs and rock formations. The badges are mounted within dark decorative borders.
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 traditional Korean practice, square silk badges featuring embroidered birds or animals were worn on the front and back of official attire. Rather than serving purely as decoration, these badges functioned as status markers, with specific creatures signifying different levels within the bureaucratic hierarchy. Badges displaying a single crane were designated for civil officials of the fourth or higher ranks. This pair was 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
- object: 25.4 x 25.4 cm (10 x 10 in.); Mounted: 43.2 x 78.1 cm (17 x 30 3/4 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
- A Pair of Rank Badges with Single Crane Motif
- Museum object number
- 2019.78
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.