Arts in Southeast Asia
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PaintingMural Paintings Depicting Ramayana
The mural paintings show a combination of traditional and modern painting techniques as follows: the traditional painting techniques are demonstrated through the main characters’ dresses are similar to those in the Masked dance drama, they are showing the same dance movements, and the characters’ adornments are gilded. The modern painting techniques include the use of horizon lines and perspective, imitation of real buildings such as palaces in the Grand Palace, and depiction of real landscapes. In addition, the paintings also show ways of life of people in the Thai Royal Court and ordinary Thai people and humor through the supporting characters. There are 178 painting panels in total; and each painting comes with verse of Ramayana poetry on the lower part of the panels, 224 verses in total.
SculptureAvalokitesvara Bodhisattva
The sculpture is in the damaged condition. Only the head and upper body in ‘Tribhanga’ posture (standing body position or stance used in the traditional Indian sculpture, art and Indian classical dance forms) are left. The lower part of body is lost.The face is plump and well-crafted. The eyelids are half closed. The Unalome is visible at the forehead while head wears the triangle crown with jewelries. The hair bun on the top of the head is broken and lost, only the hair that is down to the shoulders left. The body wears many accessories such as the leather body bracelet with the chamois head on the left shoulder. This body bracelet is overlapped by a pearl body bracelet. Two necklaces, the top one is of pearls and the lower one is jewelries with flowers decorated. The jewels bracelet is also visible. Overall, this sculpture reflects the relationship between the Network of Mahayana Buddhist Kingdoms such as Pala Dynasty of India and Shailendra Dynasty of Java. However, the study by Assoc Prof Chet Tingsanchali points out the traits of the sculpture that do not exist in Java Art which means this sculpture might be crafted in Thailand.
ArchitecturePhra Sri Rattanachedi
Phra Sri Rattanachedi is a bell-shaped stupa in circular plan. Its four niches which have doors leading to the inner chamber, where the relics are kept in the small golden stupa, have smaller bell-shaped stupa on the top. The stupa is on a set of pyramidal lotus-shaped pedestals with wires in round plan. Its Ballang is in square plan, surrounded by supporting pillars.
ArchitectureChedi Phukhao Thong
Chedi Phukhao Thong is a monumental architecture. It comprises a pyramidal ambulatory platform with a staircase projecting from the middle of all four sides and a 12-angle indented (recessed) body. The upper part of the chedi, which now tilted slightly, is composed of Buddha niches on four sides, triple rings moulding, anindented bell-shaped dome and a spire.
ArchitecturePhra Ubosot Wat Phra Sri Rattanasatsadaram
Phra Ubosot Wat Phra Sri Rattanasatsadaram is a traditional Thai brick-and-stucco architecture in rectangular plan with boundary and faces the east.The three-tiered wooden roof is decorated by blue roof tiles, with orange and yellow roof tiles at the edge line. The cornice is decorated with Chorfah, Bairaka, Naksadung and Hanghong. The floral-carved-wooden pediment is coated with gold lacquer and glass, whose centre displays Vishnu riding Garuda.The exterior wall is decorated with gold-lacquer-and-glass Phoom Khao Bindh pattern, while there are Garuda holding Naga sculptures around the pedestal. Three doorways can be found both in the front and the back, with three pairs of bronze lion figures at the front staircase. There are pillars in dodecagonal plan surrounding the ubosot in the veranda area. Its echinus is a lotus shape and brackets are supporting the eaves.
ArchitecturePrasat Phra Thep Bidorn
Prasat Phra Thep Bidorn is a four-portico building with Prang top. The front projecting portico is in the east. The wall is decorated by tiles in Phoom Khao Bindh pattern on blue background. The cornice is decorated with Chorfah, Bairaka, Naksadung and Hanghong. A prang is on the top of the building, which is made from plaster and decorated with coloured tiles. Its four pediments display the royal coats of arms. The northern portico’s pediment displays Unalom of King Rama I. The southern portico’s pediment displays Garuda holding Nagas of King Rama II. The western portico’s pediment displays Phra Viman of King Rama III and the eastern portico’s pediment displays Phra Makamongkut of King Rama IV. The windows and doorways has Mongkut tops which are coated with gold lacquer and glass, while the sided walls show the royal coats of arms of King Rama I – V.
SculptureYakṣas at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha
The 12 sculptures are made of stucco with colorful glazed porcelain adornments according to Rammakian including different types of crowns, blouses, costumes, pointed sandals, etc. Their bodies were also painted according to the literary work.6 pairs of Yakṣas are as follows: 1.Suriyaphop – Intharachit 2.Mangkonkan – Wirunhok 3.Thotsakhichanthon – Thotsakhiriwan 4.Chakrawat – Atsakanmarasun 5.Thotsakan - Sahatsadecha Maiyarap - Wirunchambang
ArchitecturePhra Ubosot Wat Benchamabophit Dusitwanaram
Phra ubosot is in projecting cross plan and faces the east The easterm portico is extended, while the duplicated Phra Phuttha Jinaraj is installed in the western wing. The northern and southern porticos are linked to the cloister that leads to the back of the building.The front edge of the boundary stand concrete pillars with lotus-bud-shaped echinus, which signify “Sema”, while the back of the ubosot shows through Dharmacakra Sema on a granite-carved floor tiles. The boundary floor uses pink and gray granite tiles, while the wall is a white marble.The eastern and western porticos have four marble pillars in circular plan. Beside the staircase of each side stand a pair of marble-carved lions, which Prince Naris designed and molded by Khun Sakolpradit, the royal artisan.The exterior door was embossed with Dvarapala, while the interior door was painted the same figure with golden lacquer. The windows use the same technic, however, with Mara Baek. The niches were decorated by stained glass.The roof was built in traditional Thai form with yellow corrugated tiles and Thepphanom at the eaves, which once were the roof tiles of Wat Kalayanamite that later had been coloured in China. The pediment of phra ubosot displays the important state coat of arms. The eastern portico’s pediment displays Vishnu riding Garuda which stands for Phra Krooth Pah emblem. The western portico’s pediment display Unalom in Bussabok which stands for Maha Unalom or Maha Ongkarn emblem. The northern portico’s pediment displays three-headed elephant carrying bussabok which stands for Aiyarapot emblem. The southern portico’s pediment displays Cakra which stands for Cakraroth or Dharmacakra emblem.
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Minaret of Masjid Kampong Kling
The Southeast Asian-styled mosques are different from Indian or Persian masjids. The mosque has a square plan with 4 pillars supporting the sloping roof with the wooden beam supporting the tile roof without any dome. Other interesting point is the minaret that has stacked body with the Chinese sloping roof at the top. The shape of the minaret is similar to Chinese pagoda. At the same time, the minaret is also look alike the Dargarh type tower in Nagapattinam in South India
Dutch Colonization Period
17th – 18th century
Architecture
SculptureThe attitude of subduing Mara
The attitude of subduing Mara is sitting on the plain lotus base without any decorations. This style reflects the style of before Ayutthaya – early Ayutthaya or the 1st and the 2nd generation of U-Thong Buddha images. It is also related to the large section of Sukhothai arts.The significant characteristics that transfer from the 1st and the 2nd generation of U-Thong Buddha images are the sitting position on a plain lotus base in the attitude of subduing Mara. The hair looks like the thorns of jackfruit. The oval face, flame-like halo, and curve eyebrows show the relation with Sukhothai arts. The straight hairline style is also associated with a large section of Sukhothai arts. This Buddha image wears the rope with a long-large straight seam. The right hand is on a leg. The style is gentler than the 1st and the 2nd generation of U-Thong Buddha and this might relate to Sukhothai’s Buddha image style.
SculptureThe attitude of subduing Mara
The Buddha image is in a sitting position in the attitude of subduing Mara. He is sitting on the plain base.The characteristics of the statue helps identify the age and the story of the history, for example, square face, the hairline above the forehead and wavy around the temples area. These characteristics are related to Khmer art in Thailand.There are little hair that looks like thorns of jackfruit with flame-like halo. This is different than other Khmer arts in Thailand but it may be related to Sukhothai arts, especially the frame-like halo style. This Buddha wears a rope with a long-large seam. The right hand is on the leg and the hand is very big.
SculptureThe attitude of subduing Mara
The characteristics of the statue indicates that this statue was built before Ayutthaya. It is related to Khmer arts in Thailand according to its square face, the hairline above the forehead and wavy around the temples area.However, the lotus-bud halo of this statue makes it different from other Khmer arts in Thailand. This shows that Khmer arts has less influence in Thailand and it is assumed that this Buddha was built before Ayutthaya or early Ayutthaya. The Buddha wears a rope with a long-large seam.
SculptureThe attitude of subduing Mara
The Buddha image is in a sitting position in the attitude of subduing Mara. He is sitting on the plain base.The characteristics of the statue that is related to Khmer Art in Bayon or after Bayon style are Square face, the hairline above the forehead and wavy around the temples area, the turban is in cone shape with spiked supported by rows of petals of the lotus blossom. This statue is covered with a robe. The rope curves over the right chest which may be more of less associated with Pa la style of Indian arts. The right hand is placed over the legs. The hand is big. This is one of the characteristics of before Ayutthaya period.
SculptureWooden door
On each door appears the carving of a gatekeeper, both are in a different movement. Both of them have their legs on the lion’s base, one hand holds the flower and another hand hold a stiletto.The faces of the gatekeepers are oval. They wear the crown with long apex, round earrings, filter neck, breast chain, breastplates, bracelet, belt, foot bracelet. They also wear shorts with long sleeves.The head is surrounded by arches similar to Phrapha Monthon. Next to it is the bouquet and the tier.
PaintingDhamma Book Chest
The legs of Dhamma Book Chest is made of plain square wood. It is called “Kha mu” hence the Dhamma Book Chest is called “Dhamma Book Chest Kha mu”.The lid is in the Watering pattern drawing a cosmic landscape painting in Buddhist motto. The drawing is divided into two parts and there is a gray line in between the two parts. Below the gray line shows Himmapan Forest. On the left side of appears Anodard pool. It is a large circle pool which is the origin of four rivers. Each river comes out of the mouth of an animal; elephant, horse, cow, lion. On the right side appears other pools in Himmapan Forest. The size of the pools are smaller and there are flowers and lotuses inside the pools. There are also trees, rocks, and animals around. On top of the gray line appears Mount Sumeru in the middle. On the top part is Tavatimsa heavens where the Indra stays. There is a castle in the middle and Erawan elephant at the bottom acting like it is carrying the castle. Chulamanee Stupa is on the right. On both side of Mount Sumeru is Sattaboriphan mountain or seven circles that surround Mount Sumeru. Each mountain has different high shown in the drawing as seven bars. This shows that the artist looked at half of Sattaboriphan when drawing. Above each mountain appears pictures of angels and there place. There are also two circles that represent the sun and the moon.
PaintingDhamma Book Chest
Dhamma Book Chest is decorated with Watering pattern. The top part of the chest is a covered with a picture of a tree with branches, leaves, and flowers. On the bottom part, there is a characteristic Thai design resembling tongues of flame, Garuda, birds, insects, squirrel, and other animals. Although the top and the bottom parts show different components, the details are still very harmonious and lively. This shows the freedom of the artist in using the imagination to creating the artwork without having any bad effect to the convention or nature’s rules.
ArchitectureRelics of Nakhon Si Thammarat
The current form from the base until the top of the Relics Nakhon Si Thammarat is as follows.The bottom part is high surrounded by a balcony called Tubkaset Vihara. The stairway leads to the courtyard is in the north, which is the side that is connected to Pra Song Maa Vihara. That makes the stairway automatically located inside the Vihara. The walls of the base are decorated with pillars. On the pillar, there are some standing Buddha images with the disciples inside the camber. On each side of the camber, there are six elephants that only half of their bodies are shown; except on the north that appears only 4 elephants because some of the space is used for the stairs. The top part is gold plated and decorated with Precious gems.
