Buramsa Wooden Seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Namyangju

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.2003

Category

Sculpture

Designated year

2018

Location

남양주시, 경기도— 경기도 남양주시 불암산로 190 (별내동, 불암사)

Coordinates

37.658874, 127.100659Kakao address conversion

The Wooden Seated Avalokitesvara of Buramsa Temple in Namyangju is a statue of the bodhisattva who Hears all the voices of the world made in 1649 by a group of five monk-sculptors led by Muyeom and also including Seongsu, Simin, Sangnim, and Gyeongseong. Muyeom was active around the country during the first half of the seventeenth century. The prayers written at the time of its production and for a subsequent renovation show that the statue was originally produced for Myoryeonam Hermitage and that it was regilt in 1907 for Buramsa Temple at Cheonbosan Mountain in Yangju. The bodhisattva statue (height: 67cm) is portrayed wearing a bejeweled crown lavishly decorated with lotus and flame motifs, and a double-layered ritual robe (kasaya), and is slightly bent forward. It is marked by its harmonious proportions, pleasantly voluminous body, comparatively high forehead and narrow chin, sharp nose, and benign look, reflecting the aesthetics of Buddhist sculpture of the 1650s. Generally regarded as one of the finest examples of Buddhist sculpture made by Muyeom and his fellow monk artists, who were based in the Honam area during the late Joseon period, the Avalokitesvara bodhisattva statue of Buramsa Temple, complete with records of its background, production date, enshrinement, and the identities of the artists, is regarded as a valuable resource for studies on Korean Buddhist sculpture of the mid-seventeenth century.

Location