조선시대 소조불상의 제작기법

Abstract

This paper examines in detail the distinctiveness of clay Buddhist sculptures by illuminating the characteristics of the materials and production techniques of seventeen clay Buddhist sculptures from the Joseon Dynasty.<BR> First, the clay Buddhist sculptures from the Joseon Dynasty commonly used pine as the material for their wooden cores, unlike wooden Buddhist sculptures that use ginkgo wood. The frequent use of pine wood for wooden cores is presumed to have resulted from its sturdiness and ability to support the weight of the clay in large Buddhist sculptures. Second, the structures of the wooden cores varied to include a skeletal structure, graftedstructure, and post-and-lintelstructure. A skeletal structure was used traditionally, but a grafted structure emerged in the sixteenth century and became popular in the seventeenth century. A post-and-lintel structure was employed for producing clay Buddhist sculptures over five meters high in the early seventeenth century. It is noteworthy that different wooden core structures were used during the Joseon Dynasty to suit the size of the sculpture, and that grafted and post-and-lintel structures eventually appeared to enhance their durability. Once a wooden core was created, it was overlaid with clay, which was then modelled. In order to improve the adhesion of the clay, straw ropes were wrapped around the wooden core, or sometimes the surface of the wooden core was roughened. Moreover, different reinforcing materials were added to the clay to increase its adhesiveness. Wooden Buddhist sculptures borrowing some of the production techniques common to clay Buddhist sculptures emerged in the fifteenth century and gained popularity in the seventeenth century. This is characteristic of Joseon Buddhist sculpture. In a narrow application, sculpted clay was applied to add volume to the body, whereas in a broader application, the entire body except the face was finished using sculpted clay. Monk sculptors of the Joseon era thoroughly understood the strengths and weaknesses of wood and clay for sculpting while they produced both wooden and clay Buddhist sculptures. Accordingly, they appear to have created Buddhist sculptures drawing on the material strengths of both materials.<BR> Clay Buddhist sculptures produced in the seventeenth century were predominantly large in scale at over five meters in height. These clay sculptures are valuable in that they made a significant contribution to the enlargement and grandiosity of Korean Buddhist sculpture.