Seongjusa Gamrowangdo, Changwon

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1732

Category

Painting

Era

1729년(조선 영조 5년)

Designated year

2011

Location

창원시, 경상남도— 경상남도 창원시 성산구 곰절길 191(천선동, 성주사)

Coordinates

35.175700, 128.717067Kakao address conversion

The Painting of the King of Sweet Dew of Seongjusa Temple is a Buddhist painting made in 1729 by a group of monk painters led by Seongjing, including Sinjeong, Hanyeong, Inhaeng, Segwan, and Gugyeong. The Painting of the King of Sweet Dew of Seongjusa Temple is quite different from other late Joseon paintings on the same theme, in terms of its composition. The top tier of the painting features the Seven Buddhas and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the middle tier Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Illowang Bosal (Guiding Bodhisattva) and the scene of a death rite showing pretas and monks, and the bottom tier the various scenes in the life of a man and the scene of his death. The most salient aspect which distinguishes this painting from others of its kind is the absence of two indispensable elements in the scene of the death rite; namely, the altar and the officiant. Meanwhile, the pavilion symbolizing the Paradise is placed in the top right of the painting, and the Seven Buddhas are strongly emphasized. Finally, the combat scene is not one of a ground battle, as is customary, but one of a naval battle. There are three other paintings on the theme of the King of Sweet Dew which omit the altar in the scene of the death rite. The Painting of the King of Sweet Dew of Jikjisa Temple (1724), the oldest of the three, was painted by the same artists as this one housed in Seongjusa; namely, Seongjing, Segwan, and Inhaeng. Therefore, the Painting of the King of Sweet Dew of Jikjisa Temple is likely to have been served as the model for the painting on the same theme in Seongjusa Temple. This painting, in harmonious colors and provided with fine details, is noted for its iconographic originality and is deemed invaluable, given especially that the whereabouts of the Painting of the King of Sweet Dew of Jikjisa Temple are currently unknown.

Location