Goryeo Buddhist paintings unite in their home country

Sixty-one Goryeo Buddhist paintings, currently owned by different institutions worldwide, have converged in Seoul for a special exhibition at the National Museum of Korea.

“Masterpieces of Goryeo Buddhist Painting A Long Lost Look after 700 Years” is being held from Oct. 12 to Nov. 21, in celebration of the 5th anniversary of the museum’s relocation to Yongsan, as well as Seoul’s hosting of the G20 Summit next month.

The museum estimates that there are about 160 Goryeo Buddhist paintings around the world. Among these, 61 paintings 27 from Japan, 15 from the U.S. and Europe, and 19 from Korean collections are showcased during the exhibition. Twenty Buddhist paintings from China’s Southern Song and Yuan Dynasties and Japan’s Kamakura period are also on display, allowing visitors to compare Buddhist paintings from the three different countries.