Buddha head. Thailand, 19th century. Bronze sculpture.

Buddha's head. Thailand, 19th century.
Bronze sculpture.
Measurements: 16 x 10 x 10 cm.
This bronze sculpture can be clearly identified both by the ears, with prolonged lobes alluding to wisdom and his previous membership of the upper class, and by the hairstyle, the eyebrows and the rest of the features. This is the head of Siddhartha Gautama (ca. 563-483 BC), the sage on whose teachings Buddhism was based.
The figure has some "lakshana" or features specific to the Buddhas. Thus, the hair is tied back on the crown of the head, the eyelids are lowered to reveal spiritual concentration and purity, the smile and serene face indicate the balance and serenity of a perfect being, and finally the elongated earlobes are a symbol of nobility, greatness and wisdom.