This painting depicts five carp swimming gracefully in clear water. Overlapping fish of varying sizes, along with delicate color washes and ink shading, create a sense of depth. The meticulously rendered aquatic plants further enhance the water’s depth. Carp have long been considered auspicious symbols, believed to bring good fortune and ward off misfortune. In addition, their effortless swimming, as shown here, reflects the Daoist ideal of harmony with nature. Jo Seokjin, a leading figure in modern Korean painting and calligraphy, played a key role in training young artists at the Seohwa Misulhoe (Association of Calligraphy and Painting), founded in 1912.