A BRONZE HEAD OF BUDDHA, SUKHOTHAI STYLE, THAILAND, 17TH-18TH CENTURY

A BRONZE HEAD OF BUDDHA, SUKHOTHAI STYLE, THAILAND, 17TH-18TH CENTURY

Finely cast, his serene face with heavy-lidded downcast eyes below elegantly arched brows, his full lips forming a gentle smile, flanked by long pendulous earlobes. The hair arranged in tight snail-shell curls over the domed ushnisha surmounted by a flame finial.

Provenance: From the collection of Teddy Hahn, Darmstadt, and thence by descent to the present owner. Theodor “Teddy” Hahn was a well-known and respected collector of netsuke and other Asian works of art. After spending time in museums to study the early cultures of the world, finding particular interest in their sculptures, he began collecting, remarking “I somehow knew it would have a profound influence on my life. How right I was. And how happy I have been.”
Condition: Good condition with wear, obvious losses, casting flaws, nicks, scratches. The bronze with a fine, dark patina with areas of verdigris.

Weight: 11.5 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 46 cm (excl. stand)

With an associated wood stand. (2)

This sizable head portrays Buddha's serenity and "classic" Sukhothai elements. With heavy-lidded eyes gazing downwards in blissful contemplation, his arched brow gives rise to a beaked nose, beneath which a gentle smile plays out across his lips. His fleshy jowls are framed by pendulous earlobes, while his short curls are well-articulated in symmetrical arrangement over his dome and ushnisha. A flame surmounts his crown, a beacon of his enlightened consciousness.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related earlier bronze head of Buddha, dated to the 14th century, 39.37 cm, in the collection of the Seattle Art Museum, accession number 33.178.