Hanging Painting and the Sketch of Gaeamsa Temple (The Vulture Peak Assembly)
Sketch of Hanging Painting Gaeamsa Temple (Vulture Peak Assembly) (Images of the main Buddha statue, Prabhutaratna Buddha, and Amitabha Buddha)This is the sketch of the Hanging Painting at Gaeamsa Temple (Vulture Peak Assembly) in Gamgyo-ri, Sangseo-myeon, Buan-gun. It shows the images of the main Buddha statue, Prabhutaratna Buddha, and Amitabha Buddha.
-
LocationGaeam-ro, Sangseo-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- CategoryCultural Heritage / Tangible Cultural Heritage
- Korean「개암사 영산회괘불탱」 및 초본
- Chinese開巖寺靈山會掛佛幀-草本
- FieldReligion / Buddhism
- Contents TypeCultural Heritage / Painting and Calligraphy
- Current Location 1248 Gaeam-ro, Sangseo-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- Current Location 2108 Tongdosa-ro, Habuk-myeon, Yangsan-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
- Original Location248 Gaeam-ro, Sangseo-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- Definition
- A hanging painting depicting the scene of the Assembly at Vulture Peak produced in 1749 and currently stored at Gaeamsa Temple in Gamgyo-ri of Sangseo-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do.
- Summary
- Korean Buddhism has a long tradition of using a large scroll painting depicting the Buddha with his disciples and followers as an altarpiece for outdoor dharma assemblies and other ceremonial meetings. This hanging painting of Gaesamsa Temple in Buan, produced by the monk-artist Uigyeom (fl. early 18th century), is highly regarded as an important asset in the Korean history of Buddhist art. The draft, together with the completed work, provides important clues about how and why the work was produced and the techniques used to produce it. Ancient records show that the creator of this Buddhist altar painting was active in the area around Jirisan Mountain in Gyeongsang-do and Jeolla-do during the reigns of King Sukjong (r. 1674-1720) and King Yeongjo (r. 1724-1776) in the late Joseon period. He is known to have produced paintings of Shakyamuni giving a sermon to his followers gathered at Vulture Peak (Yeongsanhoesangdo), the eight phases of the Shakyamuni’s life (Palsangdo), and portraits of arhats (Nahando) and the Lord of Sweet Dew (Gamnowangdo) for Songgwangsa, Silsangsa and Cheoneunsa Temples in Jeollanam-do, and for Unheungsa and Cheonggoksa Temples in Gyeongsangnam-do. He also produced many sketches which would later be elaborated into the paintings enshrined in several temples in the area. One such sketch stored in Gaeamsa Temple was later used by the artist himself to produce the altar paintings used by Cheonggoksa, Unheungsa, Dabosa and Gaeamsa Temples. The Altar Scroll of the Vulture Peak Assembly at Gaeamsa Temple and Its Sketch were collectively designated as Treasure No. 1269 on August 8, 1997. As of 2020, the painting is enshrined at Gaeamsa Temple in Buan, while the sketch is stored at the Tongdosa Museum in Yangsan.
- Forms and Composition
- The Altar Scroll of the Vulture Peak Assembly at Gaeamsa Temple (14 by 9 meters) shows Shakyamuni Buddha standing at the center, flanked by two bodhisattvas, Manjusri and Samantabhadra, with four bodhisattvas, namely, Prabhutaratna, Amitabha, Avalokitesvara and Mahathamaprapta, standing behind them. The Buddha is depicted wearing a dharma robe, with his right shoulder exposed, and forming a symbolic hand gesture (mudra) in which his right hand is placed upon the knees and his left hand on his chest. The Buddha also bears a swastika (卍) at the center of his upper chest and the haloes around his head and body, while five streaks of light can be seen emanating from the divine topknot (ushnisha) on the top of his head. On both the right and left edges of the halo around the Buddha’s head is a pair of seated Buddha images arranged symmetrically. Of the four bodhisattvas standing behind the principal triad, Avalokitesvara is dressed in a white robe, and bears a miniature image of the “transformed Buddha” on the front of his bejeweled headgear. Each of the Buddhist figures in the painting is characterized by an angled face and shoulders, creating a rather stern look, and drooping eyelids. All the details of the painting are expressed in fine lines and highly stylized, creating a strong impression in the mind of the viewer.
The main colors of the painting are red, green, gold and navy blue, which are typically arranged to create contrasts. Completed in 1749 as part of a project involving Uegyeom, a renowned local monk-artist, this altar painting has the typical stylistic features of Korean Buddhist painting of the mid-eighteenth century, including the depiction of the main figures of worship with firm, solid physiques filling almost the entire scroll, and the use of strong colors. As its production date is known, the painting is widely regarded as an important resource for the study of Korean Buddhist paintings. In addition, one of the sketches used for the production of the painting has survived, providing important clues about the brushworks and painting techniques used to produce large Buddhist scroll paintings in the Joseon period.
- Characteristics
- The Altar Scroll of the Vulture Peak Assembly at Gaeamsa Temple portrays Shakyamuni Buddha and his six acolytes, with Manjusri and Samantabhadra flanking him, and Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, Prabhutaratna and Amitabha standing behind the triad. The principal Buddha is depicted wearing a dharma robe worn with his right shoulder exposed, with a swastika on his upper chest, and a pair of “transformed Buddhas” on each side of the boundary of the halo around his head. The altar scroll, along with the remaining sketch, is widely regarded as a very important resource for the study of Buddhist altar scroll paintings of the late Joseon period.
- Historical Significance
- The Altar Scroll of the Vulture Peak Assembly at Gaeamsa Temple and Its Sketch are historically significant because it is clearly known when and by whom they were produced.