Lot 197A
Southeast Asia, Thailand, Ayutthaya Period, ca. 18th century CE. A gorgeous and sensitive example of a Buddha head cast from brass. Crowned by a stippled coiffure pulled into a top bun, the wonderfully expressive visage gazes downward, displaying slender eyes beneath a thin brow line, a graceful nasal bridge, broad nostrils, a prominent philtrum, and fleshy lips held in a gentle smile. The clear brow line and demarcated border around the hair are characteristics of depictions of the Buddha from the Ayutthaya period. Large ears sit on either side of the face, featuring elongated earlobes that represent Buddha's spirituality. Size: 6.4" W x 11.6" H (16.3 cm x 29.5 cm); 16.2" H (41.1 cm) on included custom stand.
The head of Buddha is perhaps the most significant element of the deity as it represents his immense body of knowledge and wisdom along with the tranquil nature that emanates from its expression. The prominent elongated ears are a physical feature symbolic of the Buddha's time as a prince when he wore elaborate ear ornaments to demonstrate wealth and prosperity. Of course, the prince stopped wearing them when he left the palace to become an ascetic; however, his earlobes remained stretched signifying a renunciation of the material world. Beyond the multi-layered meaning embodied in the iconography of this piece, the technique executed to create the meticulously delineated curls of his coiffure and the absolute smoothness of the contours of that face is very impressive!
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, 1995 to 2010; ex-private Micklautz collection, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, collected from 1940 to 1998
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Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#170972
- Condition: Fragment of a larger piece. Losses to ear lobes. Nicks, abrasions, scratches, and stable fissures throughout. Otherwise, excellent with nice patina.
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