Gimryongsa Yeongsanhoe Hanging Buddhist Painting, Mungyeong

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1640

Category

Painting

Era

1703년

Designated year

2010

Location

문경시, 경상북도— 경북 문경시 산북면 김용길 372, 김용사 (김용리)

Coordinates

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

This large Buddhist painting for outdoor display was painted in 1703, by six painters led by Suwon. Sakyamuni Buddha is portrayed, in this painting, with his right hand held down along one side of the body, surrounded by a large retinue whose members stand in an orderly manner, forming neat lines; a style popularly seen in Buddhist paintings produced in Sangju, Mungyeong and other places in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, at that time. Although the number of figures represented in this painter is rather large, the hierarchical relationship between them is effectively rendered by portraying them in different sizes according to their rank in the Buddhist pantheon. The farther a figure’s distance is from the main Buddha, the smaller his or her size is, in a manner to bring further attention to him. The color bleeding technique is used for figures other than Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to add depth. The Ten Disciples, Four Guardian Kings and the Eight Vajras are particularly impressive for the meticulous and assured quality of brushstrokes. This Buddhist painting, while it inherits the style that was popular in the Gyeongsang-do area during the 17th century, also displays transitional characteristics that are echoed in later Buddhist paintings such as the Hanging Painting of Bongjeongsa Temple in Andong (1710) and the Hanging Painting of Namjangsa Temple in Sangju (1788). The elegant and sophisticated brushwork, orderly composition and the calm color tone in red and green make this work a representative painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly created in the Gyeongsang-do region.