5-IV-71 by Kim Hwangi, 1971, Modern.

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This image is considered both Buddhist or Taoist.

The two circular radiating patterns incorporate both native and naturalized elements from diverse Korean and Chinese traditions.

Seated Willow-Branch Gwanse’eum Bosal (The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara), Goryeo Dynasty

This is one of the most sumptuous Buddhist works during this period of Korean history.

The “Seated Willow-Branch…” depicts the Bodhisattva of Compassion. The rich colors, flesh tones, and gold pigment show the luxurious taste of the period, as well as the amount of detail and talent in mixing different pigments.

Many paintings of Buddha and Bodhisattvas were popular during this period.

Landscape by Shitao, Qing Dynasty

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This painting is an individualist painting – an expression of the artist’s personal feelings that were made in a very original styles.

Pictured is a monk, sitting in a hut in the center of the picture, looking at the mountains around him. The mountains seem to be roiling around in turmoil. Various colored dots around the picture are meant to be vegetation. The way the vegetation covers him, it makes the viewer think that the monk’s thoughts could be troubled.

This is thought to be a Buddhist painting.

The Rongxi Studio, Yuan Dynasty

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This artwork uses a dry brush technique, in which the brush has minimal amounts of ink, so the white paper breathes through the ragged strokes. the resulting painting has an appearance of a light touch and a sense of simplicity and purity.

Despite there being no clear religious connection, with analysis it is assumed that “The Rongxi Studio” fits most with the Buddhist aesthetic of Simplicity and Purity.

The Western Paradise of Amitabha Buddha, Tang Dynasty

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“The Western Paradise of Amitabha Buddha” is a cave painting found in Dunhuang, a major stop along the Silk Road.

The painting itself is a Buddhist painting, picturing Amitabha Buddha seated in the center of the work, along with four bodhisattvas (otherwise known as his messengers to the world). There are two other groups of bodhisattvas to his left and right.

The artist seemed to have viewed Western Paradise as one filled with ornate Tang palaces, and the paradise was recorded with great attention to the naturalism in the architecture. This shows the visualization of the splendor of the Tang Civilization.

Painted Banner, from the Han Dynasty

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The “Painted Banner” marks the beginning of a mythocentric age, where people believed in a close relationship between the human and supernatural worlds. The beliefs of Buddhism are closely related to the tie between physical and supernatural world.

The idea of ‘heaven’ is shown in the top and horizontal part of the painting and is represented by dragons that are looping around each other. A deceased woman and her three attendants are pictured standing on a platform, with two of them offering gifts.

This offering distinctly shows the relationship between humans and what they believed they could do to influence the supernatural world.

Below the dragons and the woman is the section of the banner representing the underworld.

Click here for an artists rendition of the banner, in black and white.