A Study of the Dried-lacquer Amitabha Buddha Statue from Simhyangsa Temple

심향사 극락전 협저 아미타불의 제작기법에 관한 연구

This paper deals with a review of the structure and production techniques of the Dried-lacquer Amitabha Buddha statue enshrined in Geungnakjeon Hall of Simhyangsa Temple, located in Daeho-dong, Naju-si, Jeollanam-do, Korea. To achieve this goal, X-ray date and two rounds of field research were performed. The data collected were reviewed, and a sample peeled off from the damaged part was analyzed to investigate the structure and material of the background layer. The results revealed that the Simhyangsa Temple Buddha statue was an almost empty Dried-lacquer(Hyeopjeo) Buddha statue where wood core had not been framed and inserted in the statue. It was thus observed that considering that the clothes wrinkles clearly remained, the same one as the irregularity of the outer clothes wrinkles, the Dried-lacquer layer was lifted made in an almost complete shape in the process of forming the clay figure as the origin form. The statue was found to be diagonally incised from the top of the head to the back of the neck to remove the clay and wood core. But in other sites, no incision was confirmed. It was observed that on the site of the head where the incision was made, an adhesives(lacquer or paste) was used. In addition, the black eyes were impacted with beads and the ears, hands, bands, and knots were made of wood. These features are identically shown in the Dried-lacquer Amitabha Buddha statue from Seonguksa Temple, known as a work of the late Goryeo dynasty; the Seated Dried-lacquer Buddha statue in Okura Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan; the Seated Dried-lacquer Amitabha Buddha statue from Jungnimsa Temple, know as a work of the early Joseon dynasty; and the Seated Vairocana Buddha statue in Bulhoesa Temple, the Seated Dried-lacquer Amitabha Buddha and the Seated Dried-lacquer Buddha statue from Silsangsa Temple. The analysis of the back layer demonstrated that the ground layer and the red lacquer were the production of the time. In particular, the bone ash used for the ground layer was also coated for the ground layer of Buddha statues as well as for the production of the lacquerware during the Goryeo dynasty. It was also found that gold mending was conducted more than twice even in modern times and that the layer of the production time was well preserved despite gold mending several times.

본 논문은 전라남도 나주시 대호동 심향사의 극락전 내에 안치되어 있는 협저아미타불상의 구조 및 제작기법에 관해 고찰한 것이다. 연구방법으로는 X-ray 투과촬영 데이터와 2차례에 걸친 현장조사결과를 종합하여 검토하였으며, 파손된 부분에서 박락된 시료를 분석하여 바탕층의 구조와 재료에 대해 살펴보았다. 조사 결과, 심향사상은 심목을 상 내부에 짜 넣지 않은 완전히 텅 빈 상태의 협저불상이며, 외부 옷주름의 요철(凹凸)과 동일한 옷주름이 내부에도 뚜렷하게 나타나 있기 때문에 원형(原型)이 되는 소조상(塑造像)을 조성하는 단계에서 거의 완전한 형태로 만들어 협저층을 올린 것을 알 수 있었다. 또한 원형의 흙과 심목(心木)을 제거하기 위해 정수리에서 뒷목까지 사선으로 절개하였으며, 다른 부분에서는 절개선이 확인되지 않는다. 머리를 절개한 부분에는 꿰맨 흔적이 없고 접착제(칠(漆) 혹은 호칠(糊漆))를 사용하여 접착한 것이 관찰되었다. 눈의 검은자위 부분에 구슬을 감입하였고, 양쪽 귀와 손, 치마(裙)의 띠와 매듭은 나무로 제작하였다. 이러한 특징은 고려후기 제작으로 알려진 선국사 협저불좌상이나 동경 오쿠라집고관 협저보살좌상, 그리고 조선초기 작품인 죽림사 협저아미타불좌상, 불회사 협저비로자나불좌상, 실상사 협저아미타불좌상 및 협저보살입상 등에서도 동일하게 나타나고 있다. 바탕층 분석결과에 의해 회칠층(灰漆層)과 주칠층(朱漆層)은 제작 당시의 층으로 판단되었다. 특히 회칠층에 사용되어진 골분은 고려시대 나전칠기의 제작뿐만 아니라 불상의 회칠층에도 이용되었음을 밝힐 수 있었으며, 불상에 금박을 붙이기 위한 바탕층에는 주칠을 올렸던 것을 알 수 있었다. 또 근대에 들어서만도 두 차례 이상의 개금불사가 행해졌던 것이 관찰되었으며, 여러 차례의 개금불사가 있었음에도 불구하고 제작 당시의 층은 훼손되지 않고 잘 보존되어 있음이 밝혀졌다.