AN EXPRESSIVE BRONZE HEAD OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, AYUTTHAYA KINGDOM, 15TH CENTURY

AN EXPRESSIVE BRONZE HEAD OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, AYUTTHAYA KINGDOM, 15TH CENTURY

Thailand. Heavily cast, the exquisitely modeled oval face with delicately rimmed lips in a gentle smile, the eyes half-closed, framed by graceful brows and a straight nose with long ears on both sides, the hair in tight coils above the ushnisha.

Provenance: Christie's New York, 21 March 2007, lot 305, sold for USD 8,400 or approx.

EUR 12,500 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). A private collection in Dallas, United States, acquired from the above and thence by descent. Inscribed on the left side of the neck with the former collector's inventory number '5601'.

Condition: Good condition with expected wear, casting irregularities, traces of weathering, areas of corrosion, obvious losses. The bronze with a fine, naturally grown, dark patina with areas malachite and azurite encrustations.

Weight: 3 kg (excl. stand), 4.5 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 18.1 cm (excl. stand), 29.4 cm (incl. stand)

With a modern metal stand. (2)

From the 14th to 16th century, Thailand's Ayutthaya kingdom became one of the most powerful forces on mainland Southeast Asia. Continuing the artistic trajectory set forth under the Sukhothai, the Theravada polity sponsored the production of Buddha images fashioned in a new distinct style. The faces display a curvilinear contour with the hairline lower towards the sinuous brow line accentuated by elongated ears flared at the upper and lower tips. The eyes, extending evenly across the width of the face, are three-quarters closed to endow the figure with a sense of serenity that is at once inwardly directed and also engaged with the world.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related bronze head of Buddha, dated 15th-16th century, 39.4 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 2019.570.12.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 17 March 2021, lot 432
Price: USD 10,625 or approx.

EUR 11,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze head of Buddha, Thailand, Ayutthaya period, 14th-15th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of casting and modeling, with analogous facial features and hair arranged in tight curls. Note the smaller size (15 cm).

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