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HOME :
Asian Art :
Art of Thailand : Sukhothai Bronze Head of Buddha
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Sukhothai Bronze Head of Buddha - FZ.345
Origin: Thailand
Circa: 14
th
Century AD
to 15
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
2.875" (7.3cm) high
x 1.75" (4.4cm) wide
Collection: Asian
Medium: Bronze
$3,600.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
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Historically, the Sukhothai kingdom is regarded
as the first Thai kingdom. According to legend,
the city of Sukhothai was founded in 1238 A.D.
by two Thai chieftains who rebelled against their
Khmer overlords and established their own
independent kingdom. One of these chieftains
became the first king of Sukhothai, known from
then on as Sri Indraditya. The kingdom quickly
expanded its territory by force as well as through
a network of marriage alliances with neighboring
Thai states. By the reign of Ramkhamhaeng, the
younger son of Sri Indraditya, the kingdom had
become one of the most powerful states in
Southeast Asia. Its borders now stretched from
Burma in the west to Laos in the east and the
Malay peninsula in the south. The era of
Sukhothai, which literally means “dawn of
happiness,” is generally considered to be the
cradle of Thai culture, and Ramkhamhaeng is
revered as the father of the Thai nation.
While the Sukhothai kingdom was initially
indebted to Khmer art and architecture, as is
evident in the earliest ruins of the city, over time
the kingdom became increasingly influenced by
the art and religion of Sri Lanka, all the while
maintaining a uniquely Thai character. Under the
Sukhothai Dynasty, the Ceylonese school of
Theravada Buddhism flourished and the major
cities of the kingdom became centers of Buddhist
learning complete with magnificent monasteries.
Sukhothai style Buddhist sculptures are famed
for their stylized elegance. Sukhothai artists are
also noted for introducing the form of the
“walking Buddha” into the cannon of Buddhist
sculpture. Although this era is considered to be a
golden age of Thai culture, the kingdom began
to decline after the death of Ramkhamhaeng,
due in part to the rise of Lan Na as well as the
breakdown of a number of principalities into
independent states.
Small, but precious, this mounted Buddha head
possesses the stylistic features characteristic of
Sukhothai sculptures, including the arching
brows that merge into the bridge of the nose and
the gently undulating lines of the eyelids and
smiling mouth. Round-curled hair covers the
head and topknot, which was understood as a
cranial protuberance by many Southeast Asians.
An effigy is carved on the top center of the head
to symbolize perfect wisdom.
All the spirituality of Buddhism is contained in
this figure, as much in the gently spreading
smile on the smooth face, as in the meditative,
pious, inward-looking expression which is
emphasized by the closed eyes. His reflective
and mysterious demure reflects the Buddhist
ideal of an upright and charitable life, in which
all desire is suppressed and total detachment
achieved. This Buddha is a model of gentle
humanity.
- (FZ.345)
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