영주 숙수사지 출토 금동불상군의 제작기법 고찰

Abstract

This study focuses on the methods used to make the gilt-bronze Buddha of Silla discovered at the Suksusa Temple site in Yeongju. A close examination of the 27 statuettes discovered at the site can be divided into two groups, solid casting type and hollow casting type, according to the casting techniques and two groups, single block casting and separate block casting, according to the method of combining parts. The works of the 6th to 7th century are largely in the category of the solid and the single block casting whereas those of the 8th to 9th century in the category of the hollow and separate block casting. However, the earlier methods of solid and single block casting were still used widespread in the later period particularly for the manufacture of small-size statuettes whose heights are less than 9cm. I assume that the tendency is closely related with the effort to reduce the amount of wax and bronze consumed for the works. This study also focuses on the changes in different periods by examining the changes made regarding the characteristic features such as the inner molding clay, molding hole and halo. The results of the examination are as follows: Firstly, makers of the hollow type statuettes removed the inner molding clay through the molding hole, but some works of the mid 7th century still retain the clay largely because the holes were blocked due to low quality casting. I assume that it reflects errors made during the shift from the old solid casting technique to the new technique of hollow casting. Therefore, it shows that it was after the mid 7th century that the hollow casting was introduced to the makers of gilt-bronze Buddha in Silla. Secondly, there were changes made with regard to the location and shape of the molding hole of hollow casting works. The works of the mid 7th century have the holes at the bottom whereas those of the 8th to 9th century at the back. Some hollow casting works of the 8th to 9th century have one to three holes at the back while some made after the 9th century have large holes at the back, revealing almost all the image's interior. Thirdly, the gilt-bronze Buddha of standing bodhisattva made in the 6th century is conjectured to have a full body nimbus just like the one shown by the Goguryeo style Sunray Buddha Triad. Most of the 7th century gilt-bronze Buddha works have tongues on which now missing head haloes were socketed while the 8th to 9th century gilt-bronze Buddha have such "halo tongues", revealing that they had full body nimbuses. The preference of the body nimbus among the 8th to 9th century works may be to cover the large, unsightly molding holes at the back. It can explain the popularity of and close relationship between the hollow casting technique and the full body nimbus in the miniature gilt-bronze statuettes of Silla made in the 8th and 9th century.