Gapyeonghyeondeungsa Temple Painting of the Lone Arhat

This painting is enshrined to the left of the altar in the Samseonggak, the Hall of the Three Sages, and, like the Chilseong (Seven Stars) painting there, was produced at Hwagyesa Temple. It is painted in vivid true colours on silk, in an almost square scroll format measuring 139.5 cm wide and 117.5 cm high. The painting depicts Dokseong, the "Lone Sage" who attained enlightenment through solitary meditation without a teacher, also known as Nabanjonja or Bindurujonja. At the centre of the composition, Dokseong, encircled by a round green halo, sits comfortably against a backdrop of Cheontaesan Mountain, beneath a pine tree, holding a staff, with one leg raised and an arm resting on it. Around him are rugged crags and peonies, a symbol of wealth and rank, in full bloom, with a single bird descending vertically above. In particular, a three-legged incense burner and a brush holder are placed in the left-middle part of the composition, and below, a three-tiered waterfall is depicted amid the crags; this is thought to be closely related to subject matter seen in folk paintings of the late Joseon period. According to the inscription, the painting was donated in 1875 by Sanggung Jang, a senior court lady, and others, and was produced at Hwagyesa Temple on Samgaksan Mountain in Seoul; the monks and painters involved in its production are not recorded. It is also not known when the painting was moved to Hyeondeungsa Temple in Gapyeong, but the pine tree, waterfall and peonies in its background are important motifs of the folk paintings popular at the time.

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Where it is

Region

Gapyeong, Gyeonggi

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료