Material: bronze with a thin coat of gold (gilding)

Size: 3 ft. 1 in. tall

 

First, take a minute or two to look closely at the images above. Write down your reaction to this object--what details do you notice? Why did you pick this object for your response paper? Make notes on things that you notice about it. Also, write down any questions you have about it--what kinds of things would you want to know about this object? Remember the questions we ask in class. You don't need to have answers for these questions yet, but keep them in your notes.

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Once you have some questions written down, try to answer them by reading the information I've provided below about this object and its context.​

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What do we know about this object?​

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This statue is one of the National Treasures of Korea. The government has a list of art that is considered to be so important to their culture that they are given the designation "national treasures". This statue is National Treasure No. 83.

 

The statue shows the Buddha--compare to images of the Buddha from India. This is quite different! His facial features, his body type, his pose are all very different from the versions of the Buddha that we saw in India. And yet there are still symbols which help you to identify him. Which visual clues help you understand that you're looking at a representation of the Buddha?  (Here's one hint: look closely at the statue's left foot. What is he resting his foot on?)

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The pose, while different from the cross-legged statues we examined in class, does have its roots in India. This statue has one leg folded and the other touching the ground; one hand reaches up to touch the face. According to Buddhist legends, this is the pose that Prince Siddhartha Gautama was sitting in (before he became the Buddha), watching the farmers in the fields, when he realized that human suffering is cyclical and neverending. This is a posture of spiritual awakening and realization.

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Specifically, this statue depicts the Buddha Maitreya. As Buddhism developed, an idea evolved that there had been many Buddhas in the past (Siddhartha Gautama was only the most recent) and there would be more in the future. The next Buddha to reach enlightenment on earth will be Buddha Maitreya. He will arrive when the teachings of the Buddha are almost completely forgotten, and he will renew the teaching. There are many other prophecies about what the world and humanity will be like when Maitreya arrives on earth. This is an example of what we call a "millenarian" movement--a religious movement that believes in an upcoming fundamental transformation of society, after which "everything will be different"--kind of like the Second Coming of Christ.

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During the late 6th and early 7th centuries CE, Korea was going through some political turmoil. One dynasty had collapsed, and nobles were fighting over who would lead the country in the future. The cult of Buddha Maitreya became particularly popular during this time period--why do you think that is?

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Some things to consider in your response paper:​

• What was your response to this object? What drew your eye? What do you like about it, or dislike? You are encouraged to use first person (I/me) in your response paper. I want to know what you think.

• Consider the artistic details of this object carefully. What kinds of decisions did the artist make when they were creating this piece, and why? Use your art terminology, and don't forget to consider things like material or size. This statue is considered to be a masterpiece of Korean art--why do you think that is? Imagine this statue placed up on a pedestal in a temple or monastery somewhere--what would it be like, to stand in front of it and see it?

• Which visual clues help you identify this as a representation of the Buddha? How is this statue different from the Buddha sculptures we looked at in class?

• As a representation of Buddha Maitreya, what does this statue tell you about Buddhism in Korea at this time? What meanings or ideas was the artist trying to communicate to the viewer through this statue?