Yi (Joseon) dynasty furniture is admired as some of the most representational and decorative artworks of Korea. Known for their elegant design, skilled workmanship and superb use of wood and metal, this furniture represents ancient Korean spirituality and the legacy of Korean families from the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Book and stationery chests (mungap) were used to store documents, paper, writing implements and other items. This unadorned example, featuring persimmon wood, panelled sliding doors and small balsam blossom handles, would have furnished a man’s room (sarangbang) used for studying, the writing of poetry and conversation.