A large painting depicting the Assembly of Shakyamuni Buddha, Imperial Korea era, dated 1906

Wisconsin Private Collection.

The inscription on this rare large painting of the Buddha with assembly details how it was created in the 9th year of the Daehan Gwangmu era, which corresponds to 1906, during the period of rapid industrialization by Emperor Gojong. The inscription notes how a senior monk supported its production through verifying it, reciting mantras around it and commissioning its painting.

Another closely related large painting, depicting the Assembly of Tejaprabha Buddha, dated to 1878, is in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, gift of Mitsuru Tajima (accession no. 1998.120).