Artwork Search
Arts in Southeast Asia Database
ArchitectureThat Dam
This Stupa must be the main stupa of the deserted temple, now disappeared. The series of octagonal sloping moldings at the base are reminiscent of Lanna art while the main element in lotus-like shape is typical to Laotian art.
ArchitectureMain Pavilion: Wat Ong Tue
The pavilion in Viang Chan school is characterized by the high-elevated side edge of the roof. The pediment depicts Indra mounting on Erawan in the middle of foliage motifs. The lower part of tympanum is the frieze divided into several small square panels, typical to Viang Chan school. Below the frieze is the double-arched fillet which is the character that share both in Laotian and Lanna art. The elongation of the capital of the columns for balustrade is also one of the characteristics of the school.
ArchitectureHor Pra Kaew
Hor Pra Kaew might have been built in the reign of king Anuwong or before as the plan is very similar to Ubosot of Wat Phra Sri Rattan Sasadaram consisting of the circumambulatory inside Palai. However, it was abandoned when king Anuwong died and was restored again. The pediment that has two panels at the bottom can be compared with the pediment of Oung Teu. This shows that it belongs to Vientiane school of art that was carved much later. The three-headed elephant was the royal synbol of the Laos kingdom before the revolution.
ArchitectureScriptural Hall: Wat Peng
Scriptural hall at Wat Peng is the only genuine Lan Chang scriptural hall that survived that destruction of Vientiane in the reign of king Anuwong. It is a small cemeted-brick building in a rectangular plan. The base is a complex Laotian Bua Khao Prom. The chamber has a door and three highly decorated windows on the other three sides. This is the door of the chamber that has an arch at the top. Inside, there are swans facing in, which was influenced by Lanna art. The top of the Prasat and the keepers are similar to Lanna , too.
ArchitectureScriptural Hall: Wat Peng
Scriptural hall at Wat Peng is the only genuine Lan Chang scriptural hall that survived that destruction of Vientiane in the reign of king Anuwong. It is a small cemeted-brick building in a rectangular plan. The base is a complex Laotian Bua Khao Prom. The chamber has a door and three highly decorated windows on the other three sides. This is the picture of the window arch of the top part of the Prasat. The roof consists of a tier of large sloping roof and the lotus flower shaped base on top. The structure of the Prasat is similar to Lanna art. There are traces of stuccos divided into parts,which might have been the storytelling scences. Now, they all have been flaked off.
ArchitectureStupa: Wat Si Meuang
Stupa at Wat Si Meuang is made of laterite, which is different from stupas in other arts that are normally made of bricks. The remains include the inverted lotus base with the plain middle element decorated with a pointed moulding. This stupa is often mistaken as a Khmer architecture. However, the laterite is smaller than that of Khmer and the use of pointed mouldings consolidates that this is definitely not a Khmer architecture.
ArchitectureThat Luang
The huge mound in the center seems to be the most ancient element of the Stupa. After some renovations, the top element and the subsidiary Stupas were added. These subsidiary Stupas seem to be connected with either the perfections of the Buddha (Paramita or Baramee) or the Tamavimsa paradise. This Stupa was entitled as Lokachulamani, imitating the name of the stupa in the paradise inside which the hairy relics was enshrined, suggests that the city is comparable to the heaven and the king himself is comparable to Indra, the lord of deities.
SculptureDoor at Wat Ong Tue
In the reign of King Mahachivit Srisavangvong, the carving school School in Luang Prabang was commenced. This School preferred to engrave angel images on top of the flora pattern that is the stalk of peony flower. The sample of images of this School can be seen at the door of the Sim of Wat Visoun, Luang Prabang.
