This pair of paintings, depicting a gathering of three or four literati, is the work of Kim Myeongguk, a prominent court painter of the Dohwaseo (Royal Bureau of Painting) in the mid-Joseon period. In one panel, where four figures are seated on a riverbank engaged in conversation, Kim Myeongguk’s sobriquet, Yeondam (蓮潭), is inscribed. The painting exemplifies his signature style, characterized by bold, unrestrained brushstrokes, strong black-and-white contrasts in the ink washes in the depiction of mountains and water, and sharply angular outlines of cliffs and tree branches. Historical records describe Kim as an open-hearted man with a deep fondness for alcohol, to the extent that he would only paint when heavily intoxicated. This painting, too, is executed with swift and daring brushwork, reflecting his spontaneous and uninhibited artistic temperament.