범어사 극락암 <칠성도> 연구

Abstract

A great deal of Buddhist paintings were created on various subjects during the Joseon dynasty. Buddhist paintings depicting numerous stars strewn across the sky, the North Star and the Big Dipper as Buddhist and Taoist images are called Chilseong Painting. Approximately more than 100 pieces of Chilseong Painting paintings were created during the Joseon dynasty, and about 10 of them remain in Beomeosa Temple in Busan. This study examined the very early work of Chilseong Painting housed in Beomeosa Temple in Busan, Guekramam ‘Chilseong Painting’ of Beomeosa produced in 1891, to discover its characteristics, style and significance of creation. Guekramam ‘Chilseong Painting’ of Beomeosa Temple displays an ordinary format of the 19th century Buddhist painting with a rectangular screen and a two-step composition of placing images in the top and bottom. However, in terms of arrangement and expression of images, devout prayers to Buddha in the top, distinguished expression of the Great Bear that is an image of Taoism, placed below the Great Buddha Great Bear are the only characteristics found in Guekramam ‘Chilseong Painting’. The style of painting portrays a style of Suryongdang mechanism that was active in the entire area of Busan and Gyeongnam in the 19th century with regard to color and design technique. The relationships between Mingyu as a leading monk painter and Jeonghak and Deoklim as assistant monk painters who participated in this work and various monk painters who worked on other projects with them are presumed to be that Mingyu did not work with Gigeon, but learned of his style. Also, the painting story suggests Gaphoegye members joined in the production of Guekramam ‘Chilseong Painting’ by donations. Around the late and end of the Joseon dynasty, Taoism and Chilseong faiths were prevalent while the spread of Chilseong faith led to the formation of the Chilseong Faraternity. The Gaphoegye(Gap Faraternity) of Beomeosa Temple was understood to be in the same context, and this ‘gye’ was part of production of other Buddhist paintings of Beomeosa Temple proving to be a source of finances to Buddhist paintings of Beomeosa Temple. Guekramam ‘Chilseong Painting’ confirms that the active formation of gyes in the 19th century of Joseon provided financial support in producing Buddhist paintings and played a major role in religious activities.