Joseon Wooden Lamp Stand

A wooden lamp stand from the late Joseon dynasty. On a heavy rectangular base block, posts rise with crossbars between them, and a small tray for an oil lamp sits at the top. Before electricity, this was the furniture that lit a room at night.

The surface is darkened by long handling and soot, and the knife marks of its carving remain visible. It was shaped only as much as needed — and that plainness is exactly what makes it read like modern sculpture today.

Now it works well as a stand for a small candle or an objet in place of the lamp. Set in a bedroom or study, in a dimly lit corner, it settles the air of the space.

Related Objects in Museum Collections

A few related objects found on Korea’s e-Museum by searching for “등잔대”. Comparing their forms is a quiet pleasure.

Reference images: e-Museum (emuseum.go.kr), National Museum of Korea — the holding institution is noted in each caption. Click an image to open the museum record.