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Gain access to this incredible resource through either a monthly or a yearly subscription and search the entire collection from your desktop, compare multiple images side by side and zoom into the minute details of the images. Visit www.davidrumsey.com/amica for more information on the collection, click on the link below the revolving thumbnail to the right, or email us at amica@luna-img.com . Creator Nationality: Asian; Far East Asian; Korean Creator Dates/Places: Korea Creator Active Place: Korea Creator Name-CRT: Korea, Choson Period Title: Amita's Triad Title Type: Primary View: Full View Creation Start Date: 1400 Creation End Date: 1499 Creation Date: 15th Century Object Type: Sculpture Materials and Techniques: cast bronze with gilding Dimensions: Overall: 40.6cm x 16.5cm x 54.6cm AMICA Contributor: The Cleveland Museum of Art Owner Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA ID Number: 1918.501 Credit Line: Worcester R. Warner Collection Rights: http://www.clemusart.com/museum/disclaim2.html Context: At the close of the Koryo period, Buddhism in Korea began to languish. Once lavishly supported by the royal family and the upper social classes, its grand monastic institutions were viewed by the new Choson military leaders as feeble and corrupt. Official government support swung over to promote Confucianism, which developed its own patterns of affiliation with government officials throughout the country. In addition, Buddhist temples found themselves losing the landed estates upon whose revenue they had come to depend for sustenance. Yet the absorption of the Buddhist faith into the daily life of the populace for a millennium helped maintain the institutions, even in their much reduced circumstances. Local and regional popular support emerged as monasteries assumed more active roles in the communities outside the confines of their compound walls. Solemn religious days were often expanded to include local festivals, markets, and other nonreligious but focal activities of nearby villages. Besides the large colorful banner paintings of Buddhist deities that were displayed prominently out of doors in the temple's courtyard on these holidays, parishioners could view mural painting and statuary inside temple buildings, too. This rare fifteenth-century triad features a central image of Amit'a flanked by Ksitigarbha (Chijang Bosal in Korean) on his right and Avalokiteshvara (Kuanum Bosal in Korean) to his left. Worshiped in numerous forms, Kuanum serves Amit'a as his most compassionate agent, offering salvation in the Western Paradise presided over by Amit'a. Chijang had become a popular deity during the previous Koryo dynasty, one associated with vivid apocalyptic images of the kings of hell. In the Choson period his appeal to the faithful only expanded. Eachof the flanking figures sits on a lotus base emanating from the central stalk of Amit'a, who sits cross-legged, hands and fingers in a gesture of blessing. Originally this sculpture may have been placed in front of a large mural painting describing the visionary Western Paradise or depicting apsaras (heavenly attendants) and loyal disciples. Such arrangements with these three beneficent deities rendered in vivid mineral pigments and accompanied by assemblages of sculpture and painting within a hall dedicated to the worship of Amit'a are recorded, and fortunately a small number survive today in Korea. M.R.C. AMICA ID: CMA_.1918.501 AMICA Library Year: 1998 Media Metadata Rights: Copyright, The Cleveland Museum of Art AMICA PUBLIC RIGHTS: a) Access to the materials is granted for personal and non-commercial use. b) A full educational license for non-commercial use is available from Cartography Associates at www.davidrumsey.com/amica/institution_subscribe.html c) Licensed users may continue their examination of additional materials provided by Cartography Associates, and d) commercial rights are available from the rights holder. Home
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