Wooden Amitabha Buddha Altarpiece at Yaksuam Hermitage of Silsangsa Temple, Namwon

The Wooden Amitabha Buddha Altarpiece at Yaksuam Hermitage of Silsangsa Temple, Namwon is a taenghwa — a Buddhist painting normally hung for worship or ceremonies — in which the images are carved in wood rather than painted. A taenghwa is usually a picture painted on cloth or paper and mounted as a hanging scroll or framed panel, so a version carved in wood is unusual. It measures 183 cm wide and 181 cm high, nearly square in shape, and has the simplest compositional layout among the surviving wooden taenghwa of the late Joseon period. The composition is broadly divided into upper and lower registers. In the lower register, the Bodhisattvas Samantabhadra and Mahasthamaprapta are placed to the right of the central Amitabha Buddha, and the Bodhisattvas Manjusri and Avalokitesvara to the left. In the upper register, centred on Ananda and Kasyapa, two disciples of Sakyamuni Buddha, the Bodhisattvas Candraprabha and Ksitigarbha are placed to the right, and the Bodhisattvas Suryaprabha and Maitreya to the left. The principal image, Amitabha, has an oval halo and sits on a pedestal carved with lions. All the figures have square, broad faces that appear dignified yet approachable. Their narrow shoulders are drawn up close to the neck, giving the impression of a slightly forward-leaning posture, and the robes draped over both shoulders fall in long folds down to the base of the lotus pedestal. It was made in 1782, the sixth year of King Jeongjo, so its date of production is certain, and the serene appearance of the figures, their composition, and the fine detail of the carving are regarded as making it an important benchmark work for wooden taenghwa of the late Joseon period.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gimje, Jeonbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물