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Arts in Southeast Asia Database
SculptureReclining Buddha
The Buddha lies on his right side or Sihasaiyat. His right hand supports his head supported by a square pillow ornamented with Chinese floral motifs. The Image shows Rattanakosin artistic characteristics, that is, a calm face, eyes looking down towards the floor, arched eyebrows, thin lips, long ears, small ringlet hair curls, an Uṣṇīṣa, and a flame-shaped aureole. Also, the Buddha wears a thin, plain monastic robe along his left arm while exposing his right shoulder. The Sanghati or uppergarment covers his left shoulder along to his navel, and the hem of the uppergarment falls in undulating folds. The ankle-length Antaravasaka lower garment has a front pleat-fold, and the strap of the belt is shown.Both feet of the Buddha is decorated with pearl-inlaid chakra and 108 auspicious illustration motifs. The 180 auspicious illustrations can be categorized as follows: 1. Symbols of fortune and abundance, i.e. Purna-ghata or water pots, twin fish, Swastika, gem garlands, and lotus. 2. Regalia of kings and Cakravartin; for instance, 7 Ratnas, royal regalia, thrones, royal vehicles, etc. 3. Symbols of Loka or spheres according to the Buddhist cosmology; for example, Mount Meru, the Cosmic Ocean, the 4 dvīpas, Kāñcanaparvata or the seven mountains surrounded Mount Meru, the Himavanta Forest, etc.
SculptureRoyal Emblems of the Thai Kings
Each pavilion is made of gilded metal decorated with glass. The open pavilions have redented columns on each corner which support the pointed roof. Each column of the pavilions’ are adorned with Thepphanom motifs or Devatas performing the Añjali Mudrā hand gesture, while the multi-tiered pedestals decorated with rows of gilded Thepphanom figurines.The northern pavilion houses the Royal Emblems of King Rama I-III as follows: the Royal emblem of King Rama I is a tiered crown without ear decoration; the Royal emblem of King Rama II is Garuda seizing Nāga; and the Royal emblem of King Rama III is a celestial palace. One of the pavilion in the south houses the Royal Emblems of King Rama IV which is a tiered crown with ear decorations and the other one enshrines King Rama V’s Royal Emblem, namely Phra Kiao or a coronet. The pavilion in the northeast houses 4 Royal emblems as follows: the Royal Emblem of King Rama VI is a Vajira or thunderbolt; the Royal Emblem of King Rama VII is 3 arrows named Phrasaengson Phrommat, Phrasaengson Pralaiwat, and Phrasaengson Akhaniwat. Above the arrow rack, the Emblem of the Royal House of Chakri is located under the Great Crown of Victory; the Royal Emblem of King Rama VIII is a deity seated on a lotus throne in Lalitasana pose; and The Royal Emblem of King Rama IX is the Atthathit Uthumphonratcha-at Royal Throne with an Unalom symbol enclosed by a Chakra and its rays of light. Nophapadon Maha Saweta Chatra or the White Nine-tiered Umbrella is over the throne. These Royal Emblems are housed in the pavilions located on a marble base decorated with bronze elephant sculptures which represent the Royal white elephants and auspicious elephants of each king.
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
SculptureReplica of Angkor Wat
The replica of Angkor Wat was built in a square plan. The main tower, the highest building at the centre of the plan, was built on three descending levels in a cloistered enclosure order. Each cloister or gallery consists of columns and connecting roof. A gopura or entrance is in the middle of each side of the galleries, the 4 corners feature superimposed pediments. Since it is not an exact replication, the proportion and details of the replica are different from the original sanctuary: the tired roofs of the main tower and subordinate towers are those of pagodas in Thai arts.
SculptureBan Chiang Pottery
It is a pottery in the tomb found from excavations of Ban Chiang Archaeological Site. It can be classified as follows:1.Early periods, at least between 4,300-3,000 years old.Phase 1 There are prominent types of potteries which are black-dark gray potteries with a low base. The upper half of the container is often decorated with curved lines with pressed dots and short lines. The lower half of the container is often decorated with handprint rope which is the pattern resulting from pressing the pottery surface with a rope. Phase 2 New type of pottery began to appear. It was a large pottery used to hold the bodies of children before being buried. There was also an ordinary-sized pottery with most of the surface outside of the container decorated with curved lines and that makes it seems like it was the container with more lines decorated than the one of the early periods.Phrase 3 Appeared potteries with the straight side wall or almost straight resulting in having a beaker-shaped container. There was also a short, round-necked pot with a straight mouth. It was decorated with handprinted rope on the entire container. Phase 4 Appeared round bottom pottery. The shoulder area of the pottery was decorated with curved lines mixed with red painting. While the part under the shoulder area was decorated with handprinted rope. This pottery was called “Om Kaew" because it was the main pottery type found in Ban Om Kaew, which was not far from Ban Chiang, during the prehistoric period.2.Middle periods, at least between 3,000-2,000 years old. The outer surface area of the pottery is white with clear sharp or curve angles in most of the shoulder areas. There are both round and pointed bottoms. Some of the potteries were decorated with stripes mixed with color painted near the mouth of the container and during the end of the middle period, the mouth of this type of pottery were decorated with red paint.3.Late periods: between 2,300-1,800 years agoThe early times of the Late periods: found potteries with red color painted on a soft color surface.The middle time of the Late periods: started to use potteries with red color painted on a red surface. The late times of the Late periods: started to use potteries painted with red color then wax. The pattern that appears on the potteries can be classified as follows:1. Geometrical motifs2. Free symmetry pattern3. Asymmetrical balanced pattern groupsThe popular patterns in the late periods were to color on the soft clay coating with circle or oval patterns, spiral patterns, spiral towards the center patterns, spiral towards the center, then looping out, and the S and Z patterns.The pattern of the container shows meticulousness of the potters. They created the potteries for the dead according to tradition and belief about death. The basic idea of the pattern creator in the community is culturally mutual but there were varieties of patterns appearing at the same time. In the initial stages, the patterns were simple and later, when the potters had more expertise, the patterns gradually became more and more complex.
SculptureEmbossed Silver Plates
There are 66 silver plates embossed in different pictures including Buddha image, stupa and the wheel of law, each with distinctive pictures.
SculptureBoundary marker
This is a thin boundary marker. Although heavily damaged, the story can still be seen clearly. The Lord Buddha stands with both hands depicting the attitude of giving sermon. The image has square face, low-looking and protruding eyes, large nose and splitting mouth.The monastic robe covers the whole body. The front part of the robe goes pass the knee in a curvy shape. The back part of the robe falls down in a square shape to the ankle. The cloth falls down to the ankle as well. On the left, there is a small man wearing ornaments like a god. Next to this, there is another man paying obeisance behind the cloud. From old photographs, it ca be assumed that the composition on the right side may be the same despite being completely damaged. It is not clear as to which part of the life of the Lord Buddha this marker is, but some scholars assumed that it is the scene when he descended from the heaven with two gods beside him.
SculptureThe Buddha image with dropping legs
This Buddha image has undergone a big restoration. The image wears sliding monastic robe. The robe is thin and has no wrinkles. The right hand depicts the attitude of giving sermon and the left hand is placed on the lap. There is a lotus supporting the feet. It has square face, prominent and connected eyebrows, low-looking and protruding eyes, large nose, big mouth, spiral hair buds, protruding “Usanesa” and a glass bead-like halo.
