Tête de Bouddha - Sculpture - Thailand

Bronze Buddha head with a mordoré patina

Former Kingdom of Siam
School of Ayutthaya
14th - 15th century

The face of the Buddha with a youthful appearance is characterized by great gentleness and an expression of inner contemplation. Fine, curved eyebrows meet at the base of an aquiline nose with dilated nostrils; almond-shaped eyes, nearly closed and highlighted by heavy eyelids, convey inner serenity. The lips, thick and slightly curved, sketch a gentle smile filled with benevolence. The forehead is outlined by a thin line, with hair depicted by small protuberances, and the skull topped with the usnisa. The ears, with lobes stretched by the ornaments the Buddha once wore in his worldly life.

Our Buddha head illustrates a transitional style between the influences of neighboring ancient kingdoms and the stylistic canon of the Ayutthaya kingdom (1350–1767):
The large and stylized face, the softness of the forms, and the measured smile, reflecting meditative introspection and serenity, are characteristic of the môn statuary.
The thin frontal line, clearly separating the forehead from the hair, reflects the influence of U-Thong, typical of sculptures from central Thailand in the 13th and 14th centuries.
The regular styling of the hair, composed of small, perfectly aligned curls, evokes Khmer aesthetics.

Due to the syncretism of these three traditions, our piece foreshadows the future maturity of Ayutthaya-style Buddhist sculpture, heralding the aesthetic canons of later Thai art.

Bronze with a mordoré patina.
18.7 x 12 cm without base
Surface wear, visible defects
European private collection from the mid-20th century