Stone Standing Buddha in Seokgyo-ri, Yeongju

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.116

Category

Sculpture

Era

통일신라시대

Designated year

1963

Location

영주시, 경상북도— 경북 영주시 순흥면 석교리 160-2번지

Coordinates

36.911877, 128.581945

Although this Buddha statue is incomplete, having a crack on the neck and buried from below the ankles underground, the feeling of movement and substantial details are remarkable with the feet emphasizing its sense of volume and clothing with natural expression following the restoration work. The usnisa (a protuberance symbolizing supreme wisdom), shaped like a topknot on top of the curly hair, is high and large, and the refined features of the face are rounded and elegant. Although the body is awkward and slack because of its right arm sticking to the body and its low shoulders, its broad shoulders, the slender waist, and the massive legs expressed with a sense of volume make the statue look vibrant. The clothing covering both shoulders is hanging down naturally with a thick round line for a neckband. In particular, the clothing draped on each leg has concentric oval folds, which is characteristic of the Buddha statues made during the Three Kingdoms Period. The concentric oval folds in the clothing are more formal than those for the Jangchanggok Buddha made during the Three Kingdoms’ Period but less formal than the Stone Buddha Triad in Daesan-ri, Haman (Treasure No. 71), which was made during the early Goryeo Dynasty. This suggests that it was made during the United Silla Period. This Buddha statue is an excellent piece since it has a relaxed and formal side yet strained, elegant, and refined as well.

Location