The Blind Man and the Crippled Maiden

Acrylic on canvas
150 x 90 x 4cm / 59 x 35.4 x 2″
The sides of the painting are finished in gold enamel

This painting is available from StART Art Korea

The Blind Bachelor and the Crippled Maiden / Changnim chʻonggak kwa anjŭnbaengi chʻŏnyŏ, is a charming Korean folktale about the title characters who are neighbours in a small village. Though physically disabled they worked as hard as the able bodied and got along as great friends.  On a beautiful spring day they heard that a feast would be held in the village over the hill.  Knowing the maiden really wanted to go, the bachelor offered to be the maiden’s legs if she would lead the way by being his eyes. On their trek over the mountain they find a gold bar in a spring that threatens to destroy their friendship but after leaving the treasure behind an encounter with an abusive evil man leads them back to the gold bar which has now been split in two.  Miraculously on seeing the 2 gold bars the maiden regains the use of her legs and the bachelor can finally see. After this joyous occasion they married and lived happy lives.