Southeast Asia, Thailand, Ayutthaya Kingdom, ca. 14th to 16th century CE. A fine, hand-carved stone head of Buddha displaying a serene visage with down-turned eyes below thin, arched brows, a broad nose, and slender lips bearing a gentle smile. A pair of sizeable ears flank the tranquil countenance, sitting just below a tightly coiled coiffure with a prominent widow's peak and centered top bun, which is pierced with an annular drill hole. The use of petite bumps for hair reflects the influence of Indian Gupta stylization. Size: 3.5" W x 4.9" H (8.9 cm x 12.4 cm); 8.7" H (22.1 cm) on included custom stand.

Medieval Thailand practiced Theravada Buddhism and much of their sculptural art focused on representations of Buddha. When the great city of Ayutthaya was sacked in 1767, many of their Buddha-related statuary were broken; a head like this would have at one time graced a larger statue in a temple or public space.

Provenance: private San Francisco, California, USA collection, acquired 1970s to 2000s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#170447

Fragment of a larger piece. Some loss to nasal bridge and ears. Small chip to proper left cheek and abraded area with softening of detail to top left side of coiffure. Otherwise, excellent with light earthen deposits in recessed areas.