Buddha's head. Burma or Thailand, 17th century. Bronze. Some slight damage.

Buddha's head. Burma or Thailand, 17th century.
Bronze.
Some slight damage.
Measurements: 14 cm. height of head; 7 cm. height of pedestal.
Head of Buddha in bronze. Each of his attributes explicitly identifies Sidharta Gautama: the prolonged earlobes symbolise wisdom as well as his aristocratic class origin. The hairstyle, topped with a bun, alludes in its form to a pagoda or temple. Its symmetrical, stylised features convey serenity and asceticism. There are incised decorations on the crown. Each of these features in the representation of the Buddha is called a 'lakshanas'. The elongated earlobes allude to the large earrings worn by members of the upper classes in India at the time of Sakyamuni, and represent the concepts of greatness, nobility and wisdom.