Kim So-jin
Researcher, Conservation Science Division
The Scientific Analysis of Materials Used in Painted Cultural Heritage project is designed to accumulate information necessary for the restoration and conservation of Large Buddhist hanging scroll (gwaebul) through scientific investigation and analysis. It also aims to uncover the academic and artistic value of non-designated cultural heritage. In addition, the project provides internal and external analysis support services, including qualitative and quantitative analyses of excavated artifacts such as metals and glass.
Large Buddhist hanging scrolls were created for major outdoor Buddhist rituals such as Yeongsanjae, Suryukjae, and Yesujae. Approximately 120 of these works were produced from the 17th century to 1945. They are notable for their massive size, typically around 10 meters long and 6 to 7 meters wide. Due to their size and weight, these artworks are difficult to move and pose challenges in terms of preservation and management. To address this, the NRICH conducted the “Precision Survey Project for Large Buddhist hanging scrolls” in partnership with the Seongbo Research Institute of Cultural Heritage from 2015 to 2024. Over this 10-year period, the materials used for coloring and support in 64 Large Buddhist hanging scrolls were surveyed and analyzed. In 2024, the project examined five hanging scrolls designated as Treasures or National Treasures: the Buddhist Hanging Painting of Cheongnyangsan Mountain (Treasure), the Hanging Scroll of Yugasa Temple in Dalseong (Treasure), the Hanging Painting of Yongmunsa Temple, Namhae (Treasure), the Hanging Painting of Ssanggyesa Temple, Hadong (Treasure), and the Hanging Painting of Muryangsa Temple (Maitreya Buddha) (National Treasure).
The investigations were divided into non-destructive surveys and precision analyses. Non-destructive methods used portable microscopes, handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers, hand-held Raman spectrometers, and UV-visible spectrometers. For precision analysis, small flaked samples were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify crystal structures. Before all testing, reproducibility checks of equipment were conducted to ensure reliability. Complementary tools were used to enhance the credibility of results.
The combined results revealed the following pigments (or dyes) used in the 64 Large Buddhist hanging scrolls: The following pigments were used by color: for white, lead white (yeonbaek); for black, ink stick (meok) and indigo (niram); for red, cinnabar (jinsa), minium (yeondan), and seokganju; for yellow, orpiment (deunghwang) and realgar (seokhwang); for green, copper chloride and malachite (gongjakseok); and for blue, indigo (jjok), azurite (seokcheong), and smalt (hoecheong).
Notably, lead white, red lead, cinnabar, and copper chloride were consistently used from 1622, the earliest known period of large Buddhist painting production. Malachite became more frequently used from the 1720s. Talc also saw increased use from the 1750s, while orpiment—commonly used in earlier works—declined in later periods.
Large Buddhist hanging scrolls were created by joining multiple fabric panels to form a single image. Surface and fiber (side and cross-sectional) analysis of 64 such paintings showed that 36 were made with hemp fabric, 16 with silk, and 3 with paper as the base material. Eight paintings used a combination of hemp and silk, or silk and blended-weave fabrics. A particularly unique case is the Hanging Painting of Muryangsa Temple, which, unlike other scrolls joined vertically, was assembled from five horizontally connected sections.
Through this research project, foundational data for the preservation and restoration of Large Buddhist hanging scrolls was secured, ensuring preparedness against potential damage or loss of the originals. The project also contributed to expanding cultural heritage designation and management by highlighting the academic and artistic value of these works. As a result of scientific investigation, nine Large Buddhist hanging scrolls whose value was recognized have been designated as Treasures. In
particular, the Hanging Painting of Muryangsa Temple (Maitreya Buddha), which was included in the 2024 study, has been elevated to National Treasure status, and the Hanging Painting of Yugasa Temple in Dalseong has been designated as a Treasure.
The research findings are available in the Large Buddhist Painting Precision Survey Reports on the NRICH website. High-resolution images of the paintings can be viewed in the “Cultural Heritage Zoom” section of the “National Heritage Knowledge Link ” on the NRICH website.
Designated as a Treasure