Gim Busik Handles a Scroll

The act of handling a scroll is foreign to almost every modern person. Here is a portrait of Korean statesman Gim Busik (1075-1151) holding a scroll in both hands as he pauses to think about what he's reading. He's seated, but without a desk or table; the scroll is draped across the lap of his gown. Were he wearing trousers the scroll would lack support. If he were at a desk he might be tempted to lay down the rolled end, accidentally hit it with his elbow and cause it to roll over the edge and bounce across the floor, unrolling, a bad look for a scholar. Source.