동국대학교박물관 소장 용연사 〈영산회상도〉

Buddhist Painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly of Yongyeon-sa Temple Housed by Dongguk University Museum

This article examines the Buddhist painting composition and characteristics of the Buddhist Painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly of Yongyeon-sa Temple housed at Dongguk University Museum, and the characteristics of Buddhist painting in the Gyeongsang-do region in the 18th century, focusing on the activities and inf luence of head monk painter (首畫僧) Jeongchong (定聰). By the late Joseon Dynasty, the group production system in which several monk painters formed a group centered around a head monk painter to create Buddhist paintings became common. In the 18th century, many cases were discovered where monk painters were active in a school (流派) centered around a certain region, and representative examples include the Uigyeom school centered on Uigyeom (義謙) in the Honam region, and the Imhan school centered on Imhan (任閑) in the Yeongnam region. The Buddhist Painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly of Yongyeon-sa Temple is a work that shows the characteristics of Buddhist painting in the Gyeongsang-do region in the 18th century, and is a Buddhist painting created in 1777 by 11 monk painters, including Jeongchong. The Buddhist Painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly of Yongyeon-sa Temple is a buddhist painting with an assembly-painting type of Preaching and a strictly symmetrical composition with the Shakyamuni Buddha drawn large and his dependents arranged diagonally which stands out with green, red, and dark blue colors and patterns such as the f lower pattern of body light (身光). In previous studies, the influence of Imhan has already been noted, and in particular, it is similar to the Buddhist Painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly at Tongdo-sa Temple created by Imhan in various aspects such as composition, arrangement, and style. When looking at the life and activities of Jeongchong known to date, he was active around Tongdo-sa temple, where Imhan was active, and considering that he created Buddhist paintings with monk painters who collaborated with Imhan on many works, it is presumed that he acquired and learned Buddhist painting within Imhan’s influence. A representative example of this influence is the composition and arrangement of the Buddhist Painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly of Yongyeon-sa Temple, and Jeongchong added his own painting style to it, revealing his skills in full bloom in his Buddhist painting. Although there are no records for Imhan and Jeongchong work together, through the Buddhist Painting of the Vulture Peak Assembly of Yongyeon-sa Temple, it is possible to infer that an influence relationship exists between the two monk painters. There are not many works by Jeongchong in existence, so if more information is discovered about Jeongchong's life and works in the future, it is thought that in-depth research on the relationship of influence between Imhan and Jeongchong can be conducted.