천마총 출토 천마도 장니(天馬圖障泥)에 관한 일고찰 -제작방법 및 천마의 보법(步法)을 중심으로-

Abstract

The heavenly horse Changnee(National Treasure No. 207) was made of two plates of birch bark, using three pieces of bark. Outer plate and inner plate were placed so that their grains crossed each other, and sewed together in X character shape to prevent shrinking and deformation, and then the edges were hemmed with leather. Birch bark is light, flexible, water-proof and suitable to be painted because its color is white. To confirm whether the bark used in the heavenly horse Changnee is birch bark or not, we collected barks from three kinds of birch trees which are living now and compared them with the bark of the heavenly horse Changnee. We compared the holes on the surface and shape of gnarls and examined number of periderm layers found on the sections of barks and their thickness, and character of cellular tissue. However, these comparisons and examinations only through naked eyes and microscopes could not bring us a clear conclusion. Various coloring materials and techniques were used on the heavenly horse Changnee. Three artificial pigments were used, White lead for white, vermilion for red, Chinese ink for black. Silla people seemed to develop techniques to manufacture pigments they wanted by changing natural materials chemically. Perhaps it was difficult to paint color directly on the bark of birch, because the wood wax contained in the bark reduce adhesiveness of water-soluble glue. They would have to get rid of wood wax appropriately, but the method to remove it is not known so far. To paint the white heavenly horse clearly on white bark, it would be necessary to dye the bark and paint the heavenly horse with special pigment. Although it is not certain whether the bark was dyed or not, white lead, which has strong coloring power and is unobtrusive, was used appropriately as a white pigment. The artist seemed to know the quality of the pigment well and choose it. The walking style of the heavenly horse is pacing which a horse can learn only through training. Pacing is the walking or running style in which a horse moves its forelegs and hind legs on the same side in the same direction simultaneously. Pacing horses appear also on many wall paintings of Koguryo old tombs. We can see also ordinary horses pacing in ancient pictures. In case of China, pictures of pacing horses began to appear in the Han Dynasty. Why did the artist paint a heavenly horse pacing? An imaginable reason is that he might want to think a heavenly horse that connects human beings with heaven as a messenger nearer to human side than to heaven. Or, being ignorant of horses' walking style, he might follow the easy way of painting horses.