Unheungsa Temple: Assembly at Vulture Peak

SOUTH KOREA, South Gyeongsang, Changnyeong; Joseon dynasty

An inscription on this artwork states that it was painted by a team of 20 artists led by Euigyeom. They began in 1730 and finished the following year. Other works by Euigyeom kept at Unheungsa Temple include depictions of the Trikaya Buddhas, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and the Eight Great Events in the Life of the Buddha. In 2001, this painting was listed as Treasure No. 1317.
The central figure, Sakyamuni Buddha, has a height of over 10 m. Three light rays radiate from the top of the Buddha’s usnisa. The small facial features are characteristic of Buddhist paintings from the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). The Buddha wears an intricately patterned monastic robe draped over the right shoulder. The left hand forms a mudra in front of the chest, just below a red swastika. The nimbus and aureole are decorated with colorful patterns. Manjusri and Samantabhadra stand on the left and right beside Sakyamuni, each holding a long-stemmed lotus and wearing the ornate headdresses and robes often seen in 18th century Korean Buddhist paintings. Avalokitesvara and a Buddha stand above Samantabhadra on the right; Mahasthamaprapta and another Buddha are shown above Manjusri on the left.