( fl 16th century). Korean painter. Hardly anything is known of his life. What information is available states that he painted well. From this it can be assumed that Ham was a professional painter, as ordinary court painters at the Tohwaso (Bureau of Painting) occupied a very lowly position in society, their accomplishments only being mentioned in contemporary sources in cases of extreme merit. Riding a Donkey (album leaf, light colour on silk, 155*194 mm; Seoul, N. Mus.), traditionally attributed to Ham Yun-dok, depicts a scholar on a donkey. The animal’s legs are splayed under the heavy burden as it stoops almost to the ground. Branches and twigs hang down from a rock face leaning obliquely into the picture. In its composition the painting is reminiscent of works produced by the Chinese Ming-period (1368–1644) Zhe school, which was much emulated in 16th-century Korea and the style of which was subsequently assimilated into the Korean tradition of literati painting. The painting is comparable to Scholar Gazing at the Water (mid-15th century; Seoul, N. Mus.) by Kang Hui-an (for illustration see KANG (ii), (1)). In Ham Yun-dok’s picture, however, there is greater emphasis on the figure of the scholar. Various other devices, such as the extended ‘axe-blow’ strokes used in the depiction of the rocks, the light pink colouring of the gown and the anecdotal content, suggest a connection with Landscape with a Boy Pulling a Donkey (late 16th century; Seoul, Ho-am A. Mus.) by Kim Che (for illustration see KIM (i), (1)).