Donghwasa Mokjoseokgayeoraesambul Seated Figure, Suncheon

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.2219

Category

Sculpture

Era

1657년(효종 8)

Designated year

2023

Location

순천시, 전라남도— 전라남도 순천시 동화사길 208 (별량면, 동화사)

Coordinates

No precise coordinates are available, so this item is not shown as a map marker. To be added later.

This English description was machine-translated and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the original Korean text for details.

The Wooden Seated Sakyamuni Buddha Triad of Donghwasa Temple in Suncheon is a triad of three seated Buddha images completed in 1657 (the eighth year of King Hyojong's reign) by the head monk-sculptor Gyechan together with six other monk-sculptors including Ingye and Yeongeon, and enshrined in the Main Hall (Daewungjeon) of Donghwasa Temple. Votive inscriptions (josong bawonmun) found in the consecration relics of each of the three statues confirm the date of creation and the identities of the sculptors; the inscriptions provide an unusually detailed account of the division of labor involved in creating the statues, making them highly valuable for understanding the production process of Buddhist sculptures. In addition to these votive inscriptions, abbreviated production records written in ink on the upper surface of each statue's pedestal can be cross-referenced with the inscriptions, which is another important feature of these works. Head monk-sculptor Gyechan was active from 1643 to 1671 and is recognized as one of the foremost monk-sculptors of the mid-seventeenth century. Before rising to the position of head sculptor, he trained and developed his skills working alongside leading sculptors of the time such as Eunghye and Seungil; this triad represents one of the works in which he participated as the lead sculptor, and demonstrates the mature style he had developed by that point.