Sixteen Arhats of Bohyeonsa Temple

Cheol-yu (1851-1917), also known by his pen name, Seokong was a highly influential Buddhist monk-painter, whose works flourished around the late Joseon period's convergence into the early modern era. He became a monk at Seokwangsa Temple, devoting nearly 50 years to its reconstruction. Mentored by Jungbong Hyeho, a monk-painter at Geonbongsa (temple) and influenced by monk-painters like Gyeongseon and Taeheo (Seoul and Gyeonggi-do) and Eungsang (Gyeongsang-do), he developed a unique blend of both secularist and religious art style. Besides his magnum opus, 'Self-Portrait' (collection of the Gansong Art Museum), Sixteen Arhats of Bohyeonsa Temple (1882) is another work of considerable importance. The painting is a detailed depiction of the Sixteen disciples of Buddha, who according to the Mahāyāna Buddhism, postponed their own nirvana to remain in the world and protect the Dharma until the coming of Maitreya. Originally created for enshrinement in the Yeongsan Hall of Bohyeonsa Temple in Gangneung, the work is now held at the Woljeongsa Temple Museum. In the year 2014, the work earned the significant acknowledgement as a 'Tangible Cultural Heritage of Gangwon Province' The composition features a "cluster-style" arrangement, characterised by multiple figures' appearance on a single canvas to form an organic group. On one side of the panel, a cohort seems to be gazing at the rising dragon, a symbol of water and attempting to summon it into a gourd. The scene symbolises the supernatural prowess possessed by the Arhats, holding the power to summon rain in the face of droughts. The other side of the panel depicts various activities from reading of scriptures to religious discussions and contemplation. The artwork, in its entirety , significantly captures the essence of the late 19th century Buddhist practices, under Joseon influence, through the lens of hyper realistic portraiture and Western shading techniques complemented by supernatural themes.