The Assembly of Tejaprabha Buddha

치성광여래도 [熾盛光如來圖]

1878

Korea, Joseon dynasty

(1392–1910)

Medium

hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk

Measurements

Overall: 223 x 226.4 cm (87 13/16 x 89 1/8 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mitsuru Tajima 1998.120

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

The central Buddha of Radiant Light is flanked by two attendant bodhisattvas, Sunlight and Moonlight, each in reverence posture.

Description

The main deity seated at the center is Tejaprabha, the Buddha of Radiant Light. Blazing beams of light emanating from its celestial body are this deity’s weapon to crush all kinds of calamities. Coincidently, when this painting was created, Korea was experiencing a height of foreign military aggressions, including invasions by the French (1866) and the US (1871). The inscription at the bottom center states that a group of ladies from the royal court commissioned the scroll to wish for the well-being of their families. During the late Joseon dynasty, Korean women became largely marginalized. Nevertheless, they remained important patrons of Buddhist art and architecture, voicing their concerns for their country and families in peril.