Art Resource - ART374118

Conceptually similar

ART211466

ART317004

ART305677

ART318168

ART316953

ART319913

ART194722

AR6140655

ART211475

ART152911

ART306169

ART306167

AR6150981

ART306168

ART211474

ART310211

ART306142

ART211477

ART211473

ART211476

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

Add to lightbox

Add to cart