Vulture Peak Assembly Painting

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1522

Category

Painting

Era

1565

Designated year

2007

Location

서구, 부산광역시— 부산광역시 서구 구덕로 (부민동2가, 동아대학교부민캠퍼스) 동아대학교박물관

Coordinates

35.104699, 129.019336

This scroll painting depicts the Historic Buddha's famous sermon on Mount Grdhrakuta, or Vulture Peak. The Buddha is seated on a jeweled throne surrounded by ten bodhisattvas, ten disciples and the Four Guardian Kings on either side. From his hand gesture, the main Buddha may be seen as Amitabha, but in view of the colophon near the bottom containing an account about Mount Grdhrakuta, he is assumed to be Sakyamuni preaching on Vulture Peak. The scroll consists of seven horizontal pieces of hemp cloth covered with a layer of vermillion pigment, upon which the images of Buddha, bodhisattvas, arhats and the Four Guardian kings as well as decorative patterns are expressed with outlines in white and loess colors. Their bodies are lightly colored with loess powder and outlined with ink, while their hair is colored navy blue and eyebrows greenish blue. Only a few Buddhist paintings dated to the early part of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) still exist. While other 16th-century Buddhist paintings were executed with gold outlines, this has white and loess-colored outlines and the colophon was perfunctorily written in rough brushwork. It is clearly dated 1565 and is the largest among a few Buddhist paintings of the early Joseon Dynasty that remain today. This is also Korea's oldest extant painting rendered with white pigment and loess powder. It differs in style from paintings executed under the commission of royalty and hence is important for the study of diverse styles of Buddhist painting in early Joseon.

Location