고려불화 160여 점 가운데 명문이 남아있는 작품은 30여 점이고, 이 중 20점에 발원자와 시주자가 알려져 있다. 이 작품들은 모두 원 간섭기인 고종대(r.1213~1259)에서 충정왕대(r.1349~1351)에 제작되었는데, 王室·武臣을 비롯하여 승려, 향도, 개인에 이르기까지 다양한 인물들이 발원자혹은 시주자로 참여하였다.
본고에서는 고려불화의 발원자와 시주자를 왕실, 관인, 승려, 향도및 개인 등 4그룹으로 나누어살펴보았다. 왕실에서는 1310년 수월관음도를 발원한 숙빈 김씨, 관인으로는 충렬왕(1275~1308)의 최측근인 廉承益을 비롯하여, 內侍 徐智滿, 都兵馬錄事 李堯贍 등 武臣, 權㫜(1228～1311) 또는 權溥(1262～1346)로 추정되는 權福壽 등이 대표적이다. 승려 발원자 가운데 가장 고위직은1323년 관경변상도(일본 知恩院소장)를 발원한 大禪師 承□와 淨業院住持僧統 租□이며, 미륵하생경변상도(1350년)을 발원한 玄哲, 1320년 아미타팔대보살도를 발원한 안양사주지 등을 들 수있다. 또한 고려불화는 금니를 사용한 화려한 채색, 정교하고 치밀한 양식 등으로 대부분 왕실 및귀족들이 발원 시주한 것으로 알려져 있으나 1309년 아미타삼존도(일본 上衫神社 소장), 1323년관경변상도(일본 隣松寺소장), 1330년 아미타삼존도(일본 法恩寺소장), 1350년 미륵하생경변상도(일본 親王院소장)처럼 개인 또는 소규모의 신도들이 중심이 되어 발원하거나 때로는 향도조직이 결성되어 불화를 조성한 경우도 있다.
왕실과 관인, 승려, 향도 및 개인 등 다양한 계층에서 불화를 조성한 것은 당시 祈福佛敎가 성행하면서 절과 탑을 세우고 경전을 베껴 쓰며, 불상을 모시는 행위가 모두 공덕을 쌓는 것이라는 믿음이 확산됨에 따라 경전을 서사하고 불상, 불화 등을 조성하여 복을 비는 불사가 활발하게 이루어졌으며, 이러한 불교의 성격이 곧 불화의 발원 시주로 이어졌음을 말해준다. 또 발원자 계층 가운데에는 고려전기의 門閥貴族을 대신하여 고려후기에 새로운 정치세력으로 등장한 權門勢族[權門勢家]도 보이는데, 염승익을 배출한 서원 염씨 집안과 숙비 김씨를 배출한 언양 김씨 집안이 대표적이다.
이처럼 고려시대에 왕실에서 개인에 이르기까지 다양한 계층에서 불화를 조성했던 사실은, 불교가상하계층을 막론하고 생활 속의 종교로서 자리 잡고 있었다는 것을 다시금 확인시켜 준다.
Currently, some 160 Buddhist paintings dated to the Goryeo period have survived. In thirty of these paintings, there are dated inscriptions, and the patron is known for twenty of these thirty paintings. All of them were produced during a period of Goryeo’s history when its king and ruling class deferred to the Mongol dynasty of Yuan ; namely, during the reigns of King Gojong (r.1213-1259) and King Chungjeong (r.1349-1351). Interestingly, the paintings were commissioned by people of various classes from the royal house and the powers that be like influential military leaders to Buddhist monks, groups of faithful and individuals.
In this paper, I look at patrons of Buddhist paintings of Goryeo by dividing them into four large categories: the royal house and royal government officials (civil, military officials and palace staff), monks, Buddhist groups and individuals. Concubine Kim(Sukbi), who commissioned the creation of Suwolgwaneumdo (Water-Moon Avalokitesvara) in 1310, for example, is among the best known of royal house patrons of Buddhist paintings. Among government officials, Yeom Seung-ik, a member of the close entourage of King Chungnyeol (1275-1308), the court eunuch Seo Ji-man, Yi Hyeok-cheong, a senior military official, and a certain Gwon Bok-su, who was actually either Gwon Dan (1228-1311) or Gwon Bu (1262-1346), stand out for their patronage activities. Among monk patrons, those who held the highest clerical positions include Seung□) who commissioned Gwangyeongbyeonsangdo Illustration of Amityur-dyana Sutra; in Chion-in in Japan), in 1323 and Chohyeong, who was the head abbot of Jeongeobwon. Hyeoncheol, who commissioned Mireukhasaengbyeonsangdo (Illustration of Maitreya-vyakarana Sutra; 1350) and the head monk of Anyangsa Temple, the patron of the Amitapaldaebosaldo (Amitabha and Eight Great Bodhisattvas; 1320) are also worth a mention. Goryeo Buddhist paintings, as they are brilliantly-colored paintings using profuse amounts of gold powder, with meticulously depicted details, are generally believed to have been works commissioned by the royal house or aristocrats. This, however, was not always the case. Buddhist paintings were sometimes commissioned by individuals or small groups of faithful or more organized groups known as “hyangdo.” Examples of such paintings sponsored by groups of faithful include Gwangyeongbyeonsangdo (1323; in Rinsho-ji in Japan), Amitasamjondo (Amitabha Triad; 1330; in Ho-onji in Japan), Mireukhasaeongbyeonsangdo (1350; in Shinnoin in Japan).
Another painting of Amitabha Triad (in Uesugi Shrine in Japan), dated to 1309, was,meanwhile, created under the patronage of a certain Seo family (Suhodang). This family is believed to be of the Seo clan of Icheon, a noble lineage whose most famous scion was Seo Hui (942-998), a scholar-official and diplomat of early Goryeo.
The examination of literature providing circumstantial information on Goryeo Buddhist paintings revealed that people of various social classes participated in their patronage,ranging from the royal house, government officials (civil and military officials, palace staff) to monks, hyangdo groups and individuals. This may be a result of the growing popularity of gibokbulgyo or ‘Buddhism for good fortune’ in late Goryeo, spreading the belief that constructing a temple, erecting a pagoda, hand-copying a Buddhist scripture or worshipping a Buddha statue contribute to ensuring good fortunes for oneself and one’s family. The trend toward seeking rewards in this world by transcribing sutras or commissioning Buddhist statues or paintings is, therefore, likely to explain the widespread patronage activities for Buddhist paintings in this period. Patrons of Buddhist paintings also included a new type of influential political families known as “gwonmunsejok” or “gwonmunsega” which emerged in late Goryeo, replacing traditional old families that made up the ruling class in early Goryeo. The most active patrons of Buddhist paintings from this period, however, remain members of the Yeom clan of Seowon, best known for Yeom Seung-ik, and the Kim clan of Eonyang whose most famous member is Concubine Kim (Sukbi). The fact that Buddhist paintings were commissioned by people of widely-varying classes from the royal house to ordinary individuals and religious groups, meanwhile, attests to a deep and far-reaching penetration of Buddhism in Goryeo society, across social classes.
