A MONUMENTAL BRONZE HEAD OF BUDDHA

THAILAND, LAN NA PERIOD, 15TH CENTURY

Details

A MONUMENTAL BRONZE HEAD OF BUDDHA
THAILAND, LAN NA PERIOD, 15TH CENTURY
The head cast with a serene expression, with inlaid downcast eyes below arched eyebrows, with pierced elongated earlobes, curled hair and ushnisha, traces of gilt and red lacquer, on wood stand
17 ¾ in. (45 cm.) high

Provenance

Acquired from a private collection, Italy, 29 March 1987.

Brought to you by

Alexandra Cruden

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Lot Essay

The present Buddha's rounded face depicts arched eyebrows, the mouth turning up at the sides, the chin marked by an oval line and pierced elongated earlobes, with his hair arranged in large snail-shaped curls. All of these curving lines form an harmonious composition producing one of the best examples of sculpture of the Lan Na period. This kingdom was one of the most powerful states of Northern Thailand and actively supported the Buddhist faith. A comparable Lan Na example is in the National Museum of Bangkok and published in J. Boisselier, La sculpture en Thailande, Fribourg, 1987, pl. 111.

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