A Study on Conservation and Manufacturing Techniques of a Seated Avalokiteshvara with a Thousand Hands of Goryeo Dynasty

The gilt bronze statue, Seated Avalokiteshvara with a Thousand Hands, of the Goryeo dynasty, is the only one in Korea of its kind that has undergone a conservation process for the special exhibition entitled GORYEO: The Glory of Korea. For the conservation treatment, first, a component analysis (XRF) was conducted, and a manufacturing technique (CT) was analyzed. The results of the investigation revealed that the statue was alloyed with Cu, Sn, and Pb ternary bronze. Its surface, except for the detached plating layers, was originally plated using the mercury amalgam method. This statue was assembled after separately casting each part of the body, such as the left and right arms and the wrists, including the hands, with objects. In particular, each wrist was cast and fitted with a metal nail to express each object in the hands more precisely. Inside the statue, there were five iron cores: two for the head, one for the left elbow, one for the right flank, and one for the right waist. For the preservative treatment, natural adhesive agents, including vegetable gelatin and glue (20%), were mixed with alcohol to protect the base metal and adhere to the plating layers. Using synthetic resin (CDK 520+SN-sheet) for the damaged parts, the restored parts could be attached and detached to/from the statue. Eventually, the compositional analysis and conservation treatment left the statue in a stable condition and ready for exhibitions and future studies.

고려시대 금동제십일면천수관음보살좌상의 보존처리 및 제작기술 연구

우리나라에서 유일한 고려시대 금동제십일면천수관음보살좌상(金銅製十一面千手觀音菩薩坐像)을 대고려 특별전 전시를 위해 보존처리 하였다. 보존처리를 위해 성분분석(XRF)과 제작기법(CT)을 조사하였으며, 그 결과 관음보살상은 Cu-Sn-Pb 삼원계 청동으로 합금하였고, 들떠 있는 도금 층을 제외한 표면은 수은 아말감법으로 도금하였다. 관음보살상의 몸체와 좌 우측팔, 손목(지물을 든 손 포함)을 별도로 주조하여 붙였다. 특히 각각의 지물을 정교하게 표현하기 위하여 손목을 하나하나 별도로 주조하여 끼워서 철 못으로 고정하였다. 관음보살상 내부에는 5개의 철심[머리(2), 왼쪽 팔꿈치(1), 오른쪽 가슴(1), 오른쪽 허리(1)]이 확인되었다. 보존처리는 바탕 금속을 보호하고 들떠 있는 도금 층을 접착하기 위하여 천연접착제[우뭇가사리, 아교(20%)]와 알코올을 혼합하여 접착하였다. 관음보살상의 손상된 부분은 합성수지(CDK 520+SN-시트)를 사용하여 불상과 탈부착이 가능하도록 복원하였다. 재질 분석과 보존처리를 통하여 천수관음보살좌상의 안전한 상태로 연구와 전시에 활용할 수 있도록 하였다.