The Palsang-do enshrined in the Heungguk-sa Temple is one of the Buddhist paintings that shows well the characteristics of the temple, a representative royal temple in the last period of Joseon Dynasty and also the center of monk-painters in Seoul Cap...
The Palsang-do enshrined in the Heungguk-sa Temple is one of the Buddhist paintings that shows well the characteristics of the temple, a representative royal temple in the last period of Joseon Dynasty and also the center of monk-painters in Seoul Capital and Gyeonggi Province. In 1869, the Palsang-do was created by the offer of royal family members including Heungseon-daewongun, the biological father of King Gojong and it was painted by the famous monk-painters such as Gyengseon Eungseok, Geumgok Yeonghwan, Taeheo Chehun, Hyegwa Bonggam, and Hwaam Duheum etc.
The form of Palsang-do is based on the traditional iconography of Palsang-do in Tongdo-sa Temple(1775) and shows a new composition unlike the screen-division type that was popular in Seoul and Gyeonggi area at the time. Basing on the Palsang-do in Tongdo-sa as a model, but we can find that this painting did not imitate the model and shows new iconographical aspects such as forming different scene, omitting or rearranging existing images, and supplying new images.
The iconography of Heungguk-sa Palsang-do was succeeded to the Palsang-do in Horim Museum(late 19th c.), the Palsang-do in Anyang-am Temple(l917), thus influenced until the beginning of the 20th century. In addition, this painting was created by royal family members such as Heungseon-daewongun and court ladies such as Kim Daebeopryun, thus shows a appearance of Buddhist paintings offered or sponsored by the royal family in the last period of Joseon Dynasty. In particular, the fact that court ladies played a leading role in offering a prayer for Palsang-do, it almost cannot be seen in other temples at that times. In this regard, this Palsang-do of Heungguk-sa would be a representative case offered by both royal family members and court ladies and thus it shows an particular aspect of the history of Buddhist paintings in that period.