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Album of Buddhist Paintings by Yi Sang-jwa

이상좌 불화첩 ( 李上佐 佛畵帖 )

Heritage Search Detail
Classification Treasure
Name of Cultural Properties Album of Buddhist Paintings by Yi Sang-jwa
Quantity 1 book
Designated Date 1975.05.16
Age Joseon
Address Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art 60-16, Itaewon-ro 55-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

This album of paintings of Buddhist figures by Yi Sang-jwa (1465-?), a painter of early Joseon, measures 31.1㎝ by 50.7㎝. Although born into the nobi (slave) class, Yi Sang-jwa was noted for his gift in painting and earned a place among the court painters working for the royal painting agency, Dohwaseo. He excelled particularly in figure painting. Works in this album, portraying Arhats who attain enlightenment through Buddha’s sermons, are ink sketches on paper. Judging from numbers written above the heads of Arhats, the album appears to have included paintings of the Sixteen Arhats. Currently, only five of them remain. Although preparatory drawings, these sketches are impressive for the liveliness and elegance of brushstrokes and the quality of depiction of the figures. The faces, drawn in thin lines, have delicate details. Thin and thick lines are appropriately combined in drawing the clothes. This album, offering glimpses into the style of Yi Sang-jwa, an early-Joseon painter with a superlative talent, is of great significance also for research in techniques used for figure paintings in this period.