Hanging Painting of Tongdosa Temple

A gwaebul is a huge Buddhist painting that a temple hangs in the courtyard in front of the main hall for large ceremonies and rites, so that worshippers may pay homage to it. The Hanging Painting of Tongdosa Temple depicts a single standing bodhisattva-like figure holding a lotus branch. The figure wears a crown and stands facing forward, filling the entire picture plane. It has both a body halo and a head halo, and pale yellow and green clouds are arranged across the upper part of the picture. At the centre of the crown are seven small Buddha figures, all standing with their hands joined in front of them and their bodies turned to the right. According to a record of the painting's history, it was made in 1792, the 16th year of King Jeongjo of Joseon, by a group of twenty-two monk painters including the monk Jiyeon. Although this hanging painting was produced relatively late and its strong colours give it a somewhat stiff appearance, it is well preserved, and its decorative composition combined with fluent brushwork gives it a refined quality. In particular, features such as the round, broad face, the stout body, and the hand gesture of preaching the Dharma link it with other gwaebul paintings, from the Hanging Painting of Rocana Buddha of Sinwonsa Temple (national treasure), made in 1664, to the Hanging Painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly of Gaesimsa Temple (treasure), made in 1772, and it plays an important role in tracing the development of iconography and style among these works.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yangsan, Gyeongnam

Designation

Treasure · 보물