Buddhist Painting of Seobongsa Temple, Daegu (Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Ten Underworld Kings)

This Buddhist painting depicts Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the Ten Underworld Kings, and their retinue. It was made in 1741 under the lead of monk artisan Segwan. The primary use of green and red colors, the exquisite brushwork, and the balanced physical features, curved eyebrows, small eyes, and plump mouths of the figures are characteristic of Segwan's artistic style. Although the painting suffers from horizontal cracking and areas of damaged pigment, the inscription that records the details of the painting's creation remains perfectly intact at the bottom of the painting.

The painting was originally enshrined at Namjangsa Temple in Sangju, where two other paintings made by Segwan during the same period still remain, namely the paintings of Amitabha Buddha and the Three Bodhisattvas. The painting also predates Segwan's exemplary masterpiece, the Buddha Triad enshrined at Jikjisa Temple in Gimcheon, by three years. According to the inscription, Segwan was considered to be a "sleeping ragon" (yongmyeon), which is a term used in the late period of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) to describe only the most skilled monk artisans.

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08