Description

Painting of the Tejaprabha Buddha (Chisong Gwangbul) together with the North Pole star (Pukkuk song), surrounded by figures representing the navagraha (nine planets), twenty-eight constellations and the twelve western signs of the zodiac; mineral colours on coarse silk. Red rectangular panel on centre bottom containing inscription and date.

Cultures/periods

Joseon Dynasty

Production date

1850-1860 (dated)

Production place

Made in: Korea

Materials

Technique

painted

Dimensions

Height: 136 centimetres Width: 139.60 centimetres Depth: 2.50 centimetres

$Inscriptions

Adrian Snodgrass in Menzies 2001: Tejaprabha Buddha and the North Pole Star surrounded by figures representing the nine planets and twenty-eight constellations KOREA; Choson period, dated 1850-60; mineral colours on coarse silk; 95 x 101 cm Britism Museum, London Tejaprabha Buddha (the Buddha of Fiery Radiance) is the focus of rituals performed to counter malign stellar influences. He is worshipped as the Lord of the Heavens, ruling over the stars and constellations. This painting shows Tejaprabha Buddha seated in the midst of his retinue. He makes the Wisdom Fist mudra, that of Mahavairocana in the Diamond World, and here indicating the perfect fusion of the celestial and physical worlds. At his sides stand the Bodhisattva Suryaprabha (Sun Radiance) and Candraprabha (Moon Radiance), holding lotuses and identified by the spheres of the sun and moon prominently displayed on their heads. Below the Buddha sits the bearded figure of the North Pole Star, around whom all the stars revolve. Paintings of Tejaprabha Buddha usually incorporate Daoist elements, and in this painting the North Pole Star is shown as a Daoist sage. He is flanked by the Sun and the Moon. Around these six figures are assembled sixty-nine figures, representing the twenty-eight constellations, the nine planets, the twelve celestial branches (corresponding to the signs of the zodiac), and celestial officials. Portal 2000: This painting shows Buddhists, Daoist and shaman iconography mixed together. Folk religion was a syncretic mix of native Korean shamanism, folk Buddhism and Daoism as well as certain aspects of Confucianism. All these were reflected in folk paintings such as this one. 2016 National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage catalogue entries: 'This painting represents two central deities both associated with astronomy, Tejaprabha Buddha and Daoist Purple Tenuity Emperor. Tejaprabha Buddha sits on a blue lotus pedestal with his hands in the wisdom mudra. On his left and right are the Sunlight and Moonlight Bodhisattvas, respectively. The Purple Tenuity Emperor sits on the throne in emperor's costume and is guarded by two officials of the sun and the moon. Other seventy star deities encircle the Buddha and Emperor in six rows. The names of the two central deities are inscribed in the two upper corners of the painting. The large red cartouche inscription at the bottom is cut off, but the legible characters “Xianfeng” (咸豊), denoting the reign period of Xianfeng Emperor (r. 1851-61) and thus dates the painting to the mid-19th century.' '북극성의 불교 신격인 치성광여래와 도교 신격인 자미대제가 함께 등장하는 작품이다. 화면 중앙 상단의 치성광여래는 지권인을 결하고 푸른 연화대좌에 앉아있으며 하단의 자미대제는 면류관과 면복을 입은 제왕의 모습으로 옥좌에 앉아있다. 치성광여래는 일광 및 월광보살과 삼존을 이루고 있으며 자미대제의 좌우에는 마찬가지로 일월을 상징하는 조복 차림의 도교신격이 협시하고 있다. 그 주위에는 뭇별을 상징하는 70명의 권속들을 여섯 단에 대칭적으로 배치하였다. 화면 상단의 양쪽 끝에는 붉은색 구획에 주존의 명호를 써 놓았는데, 각각 ‘금륜보계소재성원치성광여래불金輪寶界消災成願熾盛光如來佛’과 ‘중성환공북극진군자미대제重星環拱北極眞君紫微大帝’이다. 화면 하단의 화기는 상당 부분이 잘리고 손상되어 판독이 어렵지만 ‘함풍咸豊’이라는 묵서가 확인되어 함풍제咸豊帝[재위 1850-1861] 연간에 제작된 작품임을 알 수 있다.'

Bibliographic references

Portal 2000 / Korea: Art and Archaeology (figure 77) Menzies 2001 / Buddha - Radiant Awakening (page 81, cat. no. 55) National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage 2016 / Korean Collections at the British Museum (Cat. 218; p.339, no.549) 국립문화재연구소 2016 / 영국박물관 소장 한국문화재 (Cat. 218; p.339, no.549)

Location

Not on display

Exhibition history

Exhibited: 2010 -2014, 30 Jul -18 Nov, BM, G67 2001-2002 10 Nov-24 Feb, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Buddha: Radiant Awakening

Subjects

zodiac deity buddha navagraha

Associated names

Associated with: Tejaprabha Buddha Representation of: Buddha

Acquisition name

Purchased from: Egbert Johrens

Acquisition date

Department

Registration number

1996,1003,0.1.KOR

Conservation

Treatment : 01 Jul 2010