부안 내소사 <영산회괘불도>의 복원모사를 통한 전통의 계승

Abstract

National treasure number 1268, Naesosa’s (in Bu-an, Jeolla province, South Korea) Hanging Buddha Painting was painted by Buddhist monk painter Chunshin in 1700; This painting has aspecial meaning in Korean Buddhism art history because it has the names of Buddhist saintsincluded in it. This thesis is focused on encapsulating the process of creating a second copy ofthe painting for use in annual public display in case of irreparable damage to the original painting and to record step by step detailed process of this project to documet it. Naesosas’s Hanging Buddha Painting has a height of 1,050㎝ and a width of 908㎝. In the center of the painting, there is a buddha, flanked by 6 saints facing him, all with their full bodiesdepicted in the painting. The intricacies of materials used are numerous. The canvas is constructed from a complexweave of linen, with 24 vertical 1,050㎝ long strips of linen hand-stitched together, with 2 rowson either side cut horizontally into smaller pieces to minimize the risk of tearing from wind forcesduring outside display. Supplies were made by converting raw materials into paint in-house, which lead to massive costs. This project was started in June of 2019 and carried over through April 2020, being worked onby a team of 10 master painters and their apprentices extensively for the entirety of that 10-month span. This thesis documents the process of the creation of the painting, examining inclose detail the entirety of the 10 months it took to go from a mass of plants, minerals, and linen, to a full reproduction of one of Korea’s national treasures. The process started with the preparation of the linen canvas. This was an elaborate process, beginning with washing the linen, then dying it, then flattening it, and hand stitching the stripsinto a cohesive canvas. The next stage of the procedure was drawing outlines on the replicacanvas to match the outline work on the original while the canvas was backed with paper. The colors were then added using handmade paint from traditional materials. The finishing touch was to create the structural borders and a hanging bar, after which the process was complete. This painting, however, is not a perfect replica of what exists today. The artists working on the painting took several steps to ensure the replica was closer to what the original was when it was made and not the weathered and worn piece of art we have today. Colors were substituted formore vibrant and thicker hues and missing sections of the original paint were filled in based on calculated assumptions drawn from the context of the rest of the painting. The creation of a replica is beneficial in many ways, however, quite possibly the greatest benefit of having such a replica is the ability to more liberally allow access to the painting for the sake of promoting traditional art practices. As it is not the original priceless national treasure it can befreely displayed in museums, where massive crowds can observe it, and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for traditional art practices.