'First National Treasure Auction' Kansong Art Museum's Goryeo Dynasty Buddha Statue and Buddhist Painting Fail to Sell

National Treasure No. 72, 'Gye-mi Myeong Gilt-Bronze Triad Buddha Statue' and National Treasure No. 73, 'Gilt-Bronze Triad Buddha Shrine.' Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Gansong Art Museum's National Treasure No. 72, "Gye-mi Inscribed Gilt-Bronze Triad Standing Buddha Statue (癸未銘金銅三尊佛立像)," and National Treasure No. 73, "Gilt-Bronze Triad Buddha Shrine (金銅三尊佛龕)," were both passed over at auction on the 27th. This is the first time that national treasures have been put up for auction as artworks.

On that afternoon, at the K Auction auction house in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the Gye-mi Inscribed Gilt-Bronze Triad Standing Buddha Statue and the Gilt-Bronze Triad Buddha Shrine started bidding at 3.2 billion KRW and 2.8 billion KRW respectively, but no bids were made, resulting in their failure to sell.

Previously, in 2020, the Gansong Art Museum put two Buddhist statues from the Three Kingdoms and Unified Silla periods up for auction to overcome financial difficulties. Both cultural properties, designated as Treasure Nos. 284 and 285, failed to sell at that time. They were later purchased and are currently held by the National Museum of Korea.

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