부여 외리 출토 산수풍경무늬벽돌에 구현된 백제인의 미의식

Abstract

The landscape-patterned bricks depict a harmonious scene featuring mountains, rocks, clouds, streams, trees, plants, tiled houses, and human figures. The overall composition—characterized by angular rock formations encircling a rounded earthen hill, the symmetrical arrangement of natural elements, the tripartite form of the central rounded peak flanked by lower, gently curved hills, and the portrayal of cascading waterfalls and tranquil waves—does not replicate nature as it is. Instead, this landscape motif is a stylized, simplified design that reflects Baekje’s unique aesthetic sensibilities, encompassing the natural realms of sky, mountains, rivers, and earth. These patterns reflect the Baekje people’s aesthetics, their perception of nature’s beauty, and their sentiment toward the natural world. To explore the aesthetic consciousness represented in the landscape-patterned bricks, Chapter II reviews the overall pattern composition and analyzes its iconography, while Chapter III identifies three key aesthetic principles. First, the landscape motifs embody a “naturalism of harmony andcoexistence.” Here, naturalism does not signify a mere imitation or reproduction of nature but reflects an intention to achieve harmony with it. By depicting buildings and people within the landscapes, the Baekje people expressed an organic relationship between humans and nature, conveying a sense of serene fulfillment that arises when humans are embraced by the natural world. Second, a “rhythmic beauty of curves” is evident in the designs. The Baekje’s unique rounded tripartite mountain icon is depicted frontally, filling the scene with gentle, flowing curves. The artists arranged overlapping mountain forms to create depth from the foreground to the background, guiding the viewer’s gaze along a rhythmic, winding path deep into the mountains. By skillfully combining perspectives—using a frontal view for mountains and a side view for clouds, waves, and figures—they suggested movement. For example, the figure on the right appears to be walking toward a secluded temple within the mountains. Third, the patterns convey a noble aura. Unlike the soft, rounded peaks, the tripartite mountains feature steep, vertical slopes and stand independently, disconnected from other mountains. This creates an impression of soft brightness coupled with an inaccessible, lofty quality, evoking a sense of grandeur.