Ksitigarbha and Ten Kings Painting of Gyeongguksa Temple

This Buddhist painting was produced by Hyesan Chukyeon, based on a preliminary sketch of the Ksitigarbha and Ten Kings Painting of Gaeunsa Temple painted in 1870 by Gyeongseon Eungseok, Bonggam, Jahan and Chehun. Hyesan Chukyeon was a monk-painter active mainly in Gangwon-do and Gyeonggi-do from the late 19th to the early 20th century, who produced many Buddhist paintings for temples across the Gangwon region — including Singyesa Temple and Yujeomsa Temple on Geumgangsan Mountain — as well as for Gyeonggi-region temples such as Heungcheonsa Temple and Bongnimsa Temple. He was also highly active in Seoul, where about twenty of his surviving works were produced; among them, when this Gyeongguksa Temple painting was made in 1887 he served as suhwasa, or chief painter, and led the project. At this stage the unconventional shading technique that would later become his hallmark had apparently not yet developed, and the work follows a more traditional style. In particular, this painting is a representative example of the Ksitigarbha and Ten Kings type that includes the Boy of Good Deeds and the Boy of Evil Deeds. Its narrow, elongated eyes and very small mouth, with the facial features gathered toward the centre of the face, its round, startled-looking eyes and narrow space between the brows, and its shading around the eyes, nose and cheeks to emphasise the bone structure of the face, together illustrate the features that distinguish Buddhist paintings of the Seoul-Gyeonggi region from those of other regions.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산