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Clay figurines
One of the most eye catching artifacts of the museum, Balhae
collection are the clay Buddhist figurines. Excavated from a
temple site in Donggyongsong, they are around 10 cm tall and
were made, using a mould, from clay and then fired.
Buddha figurines
The Buddha figurines are seated cross legged on a lotus
flower pedestal, surrounded by a mandorla, and have a
warm smile on which brings their faces alive.
The figurines can be classified into 5 different types
according to the draperies they wear and the position
of their hands: 1) those with both hands hidden in their
drapery, with the hem of the drapery pulled back to the
left side; 2) those with drapery covering their shoulders
and their hands clasped in front; 3) those wearing a pancho-like
drapery with 'U' shaped folds and their hands covered
by the drapery; 4) those with drapery covering their shoulders
and their hands clasped in front, with the hem of the
drapery pulled back to the left side; and 5) those with
both hands put together, so that both thumbs and middle
fingers meet. |
Bodhisattva
figurines
These Bodhisattva figurines came from the same mould and
are identical. They all have a tear-shaped (boat-shaped)
mandorla encircling their heads and are wearing flower
crowns which have a miniature Buddha statue set in them,
identifying them as Kwanum Bodhisattvas.
The Bodhisattvas have round faces with chubby cheeks,
and wear beaded necklaces. They stand on a lotus pedestal
with their right hand raised to the breast, with the palm
outwards, and their left hand holding the drapery. The
drapery are layered and fall to either side, making 'U'
shaped folds. The heads of the figurines are rather large
and disproportionate to their bodies.
Little is known about when these Buddha figurines might
have been made, but stylistically, they show the influence
of Tang sculpture and so can tentatively be dated to the
8th-9th century. However, compared to the Tang and Unified
Silla sculptures of the time, they seem to show some archaic
elements. For example, the third type of Buddha figurine
is very similar to the Chinese Seated Buddha with Dhyana
Mudra sculptures of 4-5th century, which were in turn
imitating the early Gandhara sculptures of India. |
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The Bodhisattva figurines, with their disproportionately
large heads, tear-shaped (boat-shaped) mandorlas and layered
drapery, are stylistically similar to the Chinese Bodhisattva
sculptures of the Northen Qi, Northern Jhou to Sui period.
This kind of stylistically archaic tendency can also be identified
in the Balhae
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