Artwork Search

Arts in Southeast Asia Database

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sumeru : Mural in Lokathiekpan

Keywords : Buddha, Life of Buddha, Shwezigon, Lokathiekpan, Sumeru

Site common nameLokathiekpan
Type of artworkPainting
Village-
Province/CityBagan
StateMandalay
CountryMyanmar
Geographic Coordinates
Decimal degree		Lat : 21.165
Long : 94.865278

History of productionLokathiekpan is a small pagoda. It is situated not very far from Shwezigon pagoda. There is no history of who had built the pagoda or when it was built. Looking at the style of the pagoda, however, it is clear that this pagoda was built in mid-Pagan era, around the end of 17 century BE.
ArtThe mural is a lot similar to Pala style in using warm colors as the main colors, for example.
PeriodHistorical Period
Art periodPagan
Age16th-17th centuries BE.
ReligionBuddhism
SectTheravada
Religion and beliefThe mural inside Lokathiekpan is an example of a mural of the first Sumeru in Southeast Asian Art. The Sumeru and Sattabariphan mountain were cut transversely so it seems like looking at the side of the mountains. This cut created 15 sticks arranged in descending order. This characteristic was later largely found in Thai Art.
Related artworkThe mural shows the story of the Buddha visiting his mother in Tavatimsa Heaven. Since this heaven is located on top of Sumeru, the painter decided to include the mountain in the mural. On one side of the mural appears the image of the Buddha going up (on the right, invisible from the mural). On top of the mountain appears the mural of the Buddha staying on the mountain. On another side of the mural appears the Buddha going down stairs with group of angels.

Type of LicenseAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
RightsPrincess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation2015-07-00
Record creatorChedha Tingsanchali