고려 석가삼존십육나한도 고 (釋迦三尊十六羅漢像 攷)

Abstract

The Shakyamuni Triad 16 Arhan Painting, housed by Nezu Art Museum, along with the Shakyamuni 16 Nan Painting, housed by Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Goryeo Buddhist paintings are regarded important as rare painting assets. The origin may be found to some extent in the Arhan paintings of China. For example, in the Southern Song dynasty in around 1188, the partial similarity can also be found in <500 Arhan Painting> housed by Daitokuji (大徳寺), Japan. Even if it is not Taitokuji, it is likely that the iconography of “Shakyamuni Triad 16 Arhan Painting” was established by becoming the basis of or citing similar image expressions. Goryeo and China's cultural exchanges were active in the Song dynasty from the late 11th century to the first half of the 12th century, and in the Yuan dynasty in the aftermath of the 13th century. It is because the origin can be found in the Nahando of Song dynasty through a vivid composition of iconography and holdings (持物). Therefore, the Shakyamuni 16 Arhan Painting, housed by the Nezu Museum, can be seen as a succession to the iconography. In other words, it reflects the situation in which the Painting of Ten Kings included iconography for drawing two messengers (使者), and is a work that further developed the harmony between Buddhism and Taoism. Therefore, these Shakyamuni 16 Arhan Paintings are not an exotic iconography, but a painting that was widely spread among the groups who gave Siwangjae at that time. Unlike the larger Buddhist paintings depicted in the later Goryeo, these Buddhist paintings expressing small and detailed iconographies are not used in formal rituals, but they are thought to be a picture that hung on the noble Temple for the Wishes (願刹), longing for the good of the noble clan.