Art Resource - ART374118

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The Great Renunciation, painting on hemp cloth. Korea, Choson dynasty, early 18th CE. 1 of a set of 8 paintings depicting the life of the historical Buddha. Although Korea was a strict Confucian state during the Choson dynasty (1392-1910), by the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Buddhism became less oppressed and more popular. According to Buddhist teachings, the future Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama, sees the 'four sights': an old man, a sick man, a corpse and an ascetic, and reaches an understanding about the transience of life, deciding to abandon his comfortable world. Here he is shown escaping from the palace on his white horse during the night. He is accompanied by his groom Chandaka. In the lower left his wife and other women of the palace are portrayed sleeping while at top right, heavenly deities are shown helping Siddhartha fly silently over the palace wall. H. 1500 mm, W. 1220 mm. OA, 1996.10-3.02.

Location British Museum/London/Great Britain

Unique Identifier ART374118

Type Image

Purpose Public

Size 2589px × 3072px

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