Gamsansa Temple: Amitabha Buddha
Stone
Gamsansa Temple: Amitabha Buddha
SOUTH KOREA, North Gyeongsang, Gyeongju; Unified Silla dynasty
An inscription on the back of the statue records that it was commissioned by Kim Jiseong, a noble of the Unified Silla dynasty (668–935), on behalf of his deceased parents. The statue was listed as National Treasure No. 82 in 1962.
Amitabha Buddha stands on a lotus pedestal supported by an octagonal base. The right hand is lifted with a mudra and the other held at the side. The thin material of the monastic robe curves downward in regular ripples that divide over the thighs. The mandorla has an outer rim of stylized flames and encloses an aureole and nimbus with ornamented double rims. The shape of the body and the way the robes are presented are one of the main styles of the Unified Silla dynasty.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture G-M, page 365.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Lovelock, Yann and Chou, Yuan and Huntington, Susan and Edson, Gary and Neather, Robert,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture G-M},
pages = 365,
title = {{Gamsansa Temple: Amitabha Buddha}},
volume = 11,
year = {2016}}