Head of Buddha

COLLECTION NAME:

The AMICA Library

mediaCollectionId

AMICO~1~1

The AMICA Library

Collection

true

AMICA ID:

ASIA.1979.078

amicoid

ASIA.1979.078

AMICA ID

false

AMICA Library Year:

1998

aly

1998

AMICA Library Year

false

Object Type:

Sculpture

oty

Sculpture

Object Type

false

Creator Nationality:

Asian; Southeast Asian; Thai

crc

Asian; Southeast Asian; Thai

Creator Nationality

false

Creator Name-CRT:

Thai

crt

Thai

Creator Name-CRT

false

Title:

Head of Buddha

otn

Head of Buddha

Title

false

View:

Full view

rid

Full view

View

false

Creation Date:

Mon style, late 8th-9th century

oct

Mon style, late 8th-9th century

Creation Date

false

Creation Start Date:

700

ocs

700

Creation Start Date

false

Creation End Date:

899

oce

899

Creation End Date

false

Materials and Techniques:

Stucco

omd

Stucco

Materials and Techniques

false

Creation Place:

Thailand

ocp

Thailand

Creation Place

false

Dimensions:

H. 6 in. (15.2 cm)

met

H. 6 in. (15.2 cm)

Dimensions

false

AMICA Contributor:

Asia Society

oon

Asia Society

AMICA Contributor

false

Owner Location:

New York, New York, USA

oop

New York, New York, USA

Owner Location

false

ID Number:

1979.078

ooa

1979.078

ID Number

false

Credit Line:

Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection

ooc

Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection

Credit Line

false

Rights:

http://www.asiasociety.org

orl

<a href="http://www.asiasociety.org"target="_new">http://www.asiasociety.org</a>

Rights

false

Context:

The diversity of style and iconography in sculptures produced in mainland Southeast Asia from the 6th through 9th centuries reflects the many regional cultures then thriving in that part of the world. In general, two systems of classification are used to help define the regional styles found here: one relies on political terms such as "Dvaravati" and "pre-Angkor," while the more recent system groups by language and/or ethnic types such as Mon and Khmer. Stucco heads represent a characteristic and relatively unstudied tradition of Mon art. The snail-shell curls of this head show it to represent a buddha, and the relatively bold features might reflect the ease of modeling inherent to the medium of stucco. This latter stylistic feature could also help to date the head to the late 8th or 9th century.

Although a number of heads of this type survive, it is difficult to determine their function. Mon-style stucco statues also exist, and this head may once have belonged to a standing figure. The back of the head is unfinished, and it is possible that it was once attached to the side of a wood or brick building as architectural decoration. Similar works in stucco and terracotta are known to have been used in friezes narrating the life of Siddhartha and other Buddhist tales. In general, terracotta pieces, which date to the 7th century, seem to predate the use of stucco in the 8th or 9th century.

cxd

The diversity of style and iconography in sculptures produced in mainland Southeast Asia from the 6th through 9th centuries reflects the many regional cultures then thriving in that part of the world. In general, two systems of classification are used to help define the regional styles found here: one relies on political terms such as "Dvaravati" and "pre-Angkor," while the more recent system groups by language and/or ethnic types such as Mon and Khmer. Stucco heads represent a characteristic and relatively unstudied tradition of Mon art. The snail-shell curls of this head show it to represent a buddha, and the relatively bold features might reflect the ease of modeling inherent to the medium of stucco. This latter stylistic feature could also help to date the head to the late 8th or 9th century.<P>Although a number of heads of this type survive, it is difficult to determine their function. Mon-style stucco statues also exist, and this head may once have belonged to a standing figure. The back of the head is unfinished, and it is possible that it was once attached to the side of a wood or brick building as architectural decoration. Similar works in stucco and terracotta are known to have been used in friezes narrating the life of Siddhartha and other Buddhist tales. In general, terracotta pieces, which date to the 7th century, seem to predate the use of stucco in the 8th or 9th century.</P>

Context

false

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Head of Buddha