Page 138 - March 23 2022 Boinghams NYC Indian and Himalayan Art

THE PROPERTY OF AN EAST COAST COLLECTOR
463
A RARE STONE HEAD OF BUDDHA
THAILAND, MON DVARAVATI STYLE, 8TH-9TH CENTURY
9º in. (23.5 cm.) high
$30,000-50,000
PROVENANCE:
Funan Gallery, Singapore, 22 January 1980.
The Mon polity of Dvaravati was one of the earliest and most important
societies in mainland Southeast Asia. Based around the Chao Phraya
and Mae Klang river basins of central Thailand, the Dvaravati polity was
known from early Chinese textual sources, as well as being mentioned in a
single local inscription that dates to roughly AD 550-650. Due to the large
numbers of Buddhist sculptures associated with the culture, it is highly likely
the rulers were patrons of the Buddhist faith. The images of Buddha were
heavily influenced by contemporaneous Indian sculptural styles, including
the Gupta style based around the site of Sarnath. The facial features of the
Mon Dvaravati Buddhist images, however, display arched, joined eyebrows
which are unlike those found in India, and which are characteristic to the
Mon Dvaravati style. Compared to earlier and later Thai kingdoms, Dvaravati
was relatively geographically and economically isolated, which contributed to
the distinct qualities of its sculpture, such as the aforementioned eyebrows,
the broad, squared face, and the full, prominent lips. Additionally, the local
stone was tough and difficult to work with, leading artists to prefer thick,
strong features over softness and subtlety. This style was bold, self-assured,
recognizable, and highly influential on subsequent Thai sculpture and artistic
production throughout Southeast Asia.
Compare the present head with a fragmentary example in the same,
characteristic polished black stone, sold at Christie's New York, 12 September
2012, lot 620.

(another view)

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