Bongjeongsa Yeongsanhoe Hanging Buddhist Painting, Andong

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1642

Category

Painting

Era

1710년

Designated year

2010

Location

안동시, 경상북도— 경북 안동시 서후면 봉정사길 222, 봉정사 (태장리)

Coordinates

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

This painting, although similar in overall composition to typical Gyeongsang-do-style Buddhist paintings on the theme of the Vulture Peak Assembly, stands out, however, from them by the unusually large size of the eight attendant Bodhisattvas, placed on either side of Sakyamuni Buddha. The painting has a simple composition in which Sakyamuni is portrayed in the center, in large size, surrounded by the Eight Bodhisattvas and the Ten Disciples who are also rather large in size, so that they completely fill the available space. This composition with a standing main Buddha flanked by Bodhisattvas and other members of his retinue, on either side is widely seen in 18th-century Buddhist paintings from the Gyeongsangbuk-do area. In this particular work, the Bodhisattvas are much larger in size than in other similar paintings, with their head at the level of the main Buddha’s shoulders. The faces of Buddha and the Bodhisattvas have well-defined features and show volume and depth. The thick outlines of the body and the robe appear forceful yet flexible. In this painting having red and green as the two dominant colors, the white floral motifs scattered in the sky above the figures and touches of yellow, pink and green present here and there add brilliance. Meanwhile, the gold decorations on the lower bodies of the Bodhisattvas provide pleasing accents to the painting. An early example of 18th-century Joseon Buddhist paintings, this work is exceptional both in its historical significance and artistic merit.