[News Terms] The Smile of Baekje Returned to the Homeland, ‘Gilt Bronze Avalokiteshvara Standing Statue’

"A Bodhisattva statue featuring a beautiful smile and soft curves."

'Gilt-bronze Standing Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara' (height 26.7 cm), known as the 'Smile of Baekje'. [Photo courtesy of Hoam Art Museum]

This is the summary of the evaluation of the ‘Gilt Bronze Standing Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,’ which is gaining popularity at the Buddhist art special exhibition ‘Like a Lotus Untainted by Mud’ at Hoam Art Museum.

Considered the finest masterpiece among Baekje-era Buddhist relics, this Bodhisattva statue is estimated to have been made in the mid-7th century. Two pieces were accidentally discovered in 1907 at a temple site in Gyueam-myeon, Buyeo-gun, Chungnam Province. One piece (National Treasure No. 293) is housed at the National Buyeo Museum, while the other was taken to Japan by the Japanese collector Ichida Jiro. After liberation, its whereabouts were unknown until 2018, when the Cultural Heritage Recovery Foundation connected with the owner who had purchased the statue from Ichida in the 1970s, sparking public interest. At that time, the National Museum of Korea attempted to acquire it for 4.2 billion KRW, but the owner demanded 15 billion KRW, causing the repatriation to fail. The statue displayed in this special exhibition is that very piece.

The statue depicts Avalokiteshvara wearing a three-faced crown, with a barely visible soft smile on tightly closed lips that leaves a lasting impression. Measuring 26 cm, it is medium-sized among gilt bronze statues, and is considered even more precious because gilt bronze statues of this size are rare in the Baekje region.

The Bodhisattva’s round and plump youthful face might at first glance resemble a child, but the sideways elongated eyes and the sharp nose bridge give it a youthful appearance. The slender and delicate body is well-proportioned and balanced, appearing natural, and the softly flowing folds of the garment convey a sense of graceful curves.

The production period is estimated to be during the reign of King Uija (r. 641-660). Professor Lim Young-ae of Dongguk University, in her paper ‘The Genealogy and Characteristics of the Gilt Bronze Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva from Gyueam-ri, Baekje,’ stated, “The Gyueam-ri Bodhisattva at the National Buyeo Museum has X-shaped flame decorations and large hands, whereas the Japanese Gyueam-ri Bodhisattva features two rows of U-shaped garments, appropriately sized hands, and a more advanced style with a flexible body posture.” She concluded that this is a work from the Uija era, combining features of the Sudae Bodhisattva and the Chodang Bodhisattva. Baekje Buddhist art reached its peak in the mid-7th century during King Uija’s reign.

Meanwhile, Hoam Art Museum is holding the exhibition ‘Like a Lotus Untainted by Mud’ until the 16th, focusing on the sufferings, wishes, and contributions of women depicted in Buddhist art from Korea, China, and Japan. This exhibition, gathering 92 masterpieces of Buddhist art scattered around the world in one place, is the world’s first special exhibition highlighting the relationship between women and East Asian Buddhism.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.