Page 126 - Chinese Works of Art and Buddhist sculpture, June 18, 2018 Galerie Zacke

111
A 15 CENTURY SUKHOTHAI BRONZE HEAD
TH
OF BUDDHA IN KAMPHAENG PHET STYLE
Bronze with shell and Lapis Lazuli inlays at the eyes.
Sparse remains of lacquer gilding. Mounted to
bronze and wood base
Thailand, Late Sukhothai period, Kamphaeng Phet
style, 15th century

This bronze head of Buddha features Kamphaeng
Phet style with sharper features, almond shaped
eyes and eyebrows that form a continuous line
above the bridge of the nose.
Buddha shows peaceful expression, with slender
lips and sleek almond-shaped eyes framed
underneath high arched eyebrows that meet at the
bridge of his curved nose, flanked by pendulous
earlobes with out-turned tips, and surmounted
by a flattened heart-shaped hairline of tight curls
arranged over the ushnisha, and with sparse
remains of gilt lacquer on the back of the head.

Containing an important group of ancient cities
neighboring Sukhothai, the region of Kamphaeng
Phet was ideally situated for river trade with
Southern Burma, the Lan Na kingdom, and the
Chao Phraya basin. Later in the 16th century,
Kamphaeng Phet’s strategic location served to
defend against Burmese attacks on the Ayutthaya
kingdom.

Shape: Figural head
These details of lot 110 impressively show the Dimensions: 24,5 cm (height of the head), 36 cm
furrowed brow and the piercing gaze, that (total height with base)
th
th
reflect the taste for naturalism in the 4 – 5 Condition: Shows fine patina, material loss at the
century in the Kushan period neckline restored, eye inlays partially missing
Provenance: Austrian private collection

Literature comparison: for two comparable Buddha
head bronzes, larger in size, see Bonham’s, INDIAN,
HIMALAYAN & SOUTHEAST ASIAN ART, 17 Sep
2014, New York, lot 176 and Sotheby’s, DEFINING
TASTE, WORKS SELECTED BY DANNY KATZ, 12
NOVEMBER 2013, London, lot 20.

⋩Ḽᶾ䲨䓀䂡䡏桐㟤䳈⎗㲘曺戭ἃ柕
㲘⚳炻䳈⎗㲘㘂㛇炻䓀䂡䡏桐㟤炻⋩Ḽᶾ䲨
⊭㻧炻柠悐ᾖ⽑↎␴䛤䜃↎⯨悐㚱㛸㕁仢⣙
⤏⛘⇑䥩Ṣ㓞啷
Estimate EUR 2.000,-
Starting price EUR 1.000,-

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