In the nineteenth century, a revival of interest in Chinese literati painting and calligraphy emphasized the utilization of art as a vehicle for conveying personal thoughts and emotions. Jo Hui-ryong, a minor government official and student of Kim Jeong-hui (1786–1856), followed his teacher’s specialty of plum and orchid painting. Orchids are among four botanical symbols associated with the scholar-official; together with pine, bamboo, and plum, they are known as the Four Gentleman. Orchids represent fragrance and refinement.

The composition of these two paintings is very close to pages from an album of orchid paintings titled Nanmaengcheop, by Jo’s teacher Kim Jeong-hui, and several of the inscriptions are selections from that album, as well. The second painting includes an inscription that says that the image was inspired by a bunch of orchids gathered while on a recent outing and includes several pen names of the artist. One of these names, “Ilseok sanbang,” was used by Jo around 1851, when he and his teacher were exiled to Imja Island.