Analysis and Conservation of Wooden Standing Bodhisattva in Song Dynasty

중국 송대 목제보살입상의 분석과 보존

Wooden standing Bodhisattva in the collection of the National Museum of Korea (Bon 8239) was purchased as part of the museum's Central Asian collection during the Museum of Japanese Goverment General of Korea. The wooden statue exhibiting classical characteristics of Song Dynasty Buddhist sculptures is colored on the whone. The result of condition check for exhibition in 2014, it has severely damaged, with discoloring and exfoliation in color pigment and crack of wood observed in various areas. The object was therefore treated for conservation. A series of analysis were performed also at this time to determine the production technique and the materials, including testing of the X-ray penetration depth, X-ray fluorescence analysis and wood species analysis. This revealed that the statue was made by joining several separate pieces of wood. As for color pigments, the white pigment was either chalk (CaCO₃) or gypsum(CaSO₄·2H₂O), and the green pigment was emerald green (Cu(C₂H₃O₂)₂·3Cu(AsO₂)₂). The red pigment appeared to be lead red(Pb₃O₄) and the blue pigment was ultramarine blue (3Na₂O·3Al₂O₃·6SiO₂·2Na₂S). All the pigments were repainted in later eras. The analysis, indicated that the wood was derived from a tree of the genus Populus, family Salicaceae. The wooden standing Bodhisattva was repaired and reinforced with natural materials and was brought to a stable condition necessary for display.

국립중앙박물관 소장 목제보살입상(본8239)은 조선총독부 박물관에서 중앙아시아유물을 수집하는 과정에서 구입한 것으로 전형적인 중국 송대(宋代) 양식을 갖추고 있으며 전체적으로 채색이 되어있다. 2014년 전시를 위하여 상태점검을 실시한 결과 채색안료의 변색과 박락, 목재의 갈라짐 등 손상이 심하여 보존처리를 실시하였다. 이와 함께 엑스선투과조사와 엑스선형광분석, 수종분석을 실시하여 제작기법과 재질을 확인하였다. 그 결과 보살입상은 여러 조각의 목재를 접합하여 제작한 것으로 확인되었고, 채색에 사용된 안료로 백색은 호분(CaCO₃)이나 석고(CaSO₄·2H₂O), 녹색은 양록(Cu(C₂H₃O₂)₂·3Cu(AsO₂)₂), 적색은 연단(Pb₃O₄), 청색은 울트라마린 블루(3Na₂O·3Al₂O₃·6SiO₂·2Na₂S)를 사용한 것으로 추정되며, 각 안료는 모두 후대에 다시 채색하면서 사용된 것으로 나타났다. 수종분석결과 제작과정에서 사용된 목재는 버드나무과의 사시나무류(Salicaceae Populus spp.)로 확인되었다. 목제보살입상은 천연재료를 사용하여 복원 및 강화처리를 하여 안정적인 상태가 되어 효과적인 전시가 가능하였다.