• Joseon dynasty, 1482
• Basswood
• duk 3373

This statue of Amitabha Buddha was completed in 1482 by assembling separately carved parts. Its surface was gilded after black lacquer was painted. The slender upper body with an elongated waist, the raised ushnisha, or cranial protuberance, and the jeweled knob added to its top (jeongsang gyeju) are particularly noticeable. The rendering of the robe, that is, the once-folded drape along the collar and the drapes rounded over the knees, is consistent with the stylistic traits of Tibetan Buddhist art that were widely adopted in fifteenth-century Ming China. Despite its enshrinement in a Buddhist temple outside the capital region, the statue still showcases the superb craftsmanship of its sculptor.

Exhibition period July 22. - August 31.