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Wat Na Phra Men: Standing Buddha
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Wat Na Phra Men: Standing Buddha
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Wat Na Phra Men: Standing Buddha
THAILAND, Ayutthaya; 8th century; Sandstone; H: 173 cm; Bangkok National Museum, Thailand
The statue was discovered at Wat Na Phra Men. It bears classic traits of the Dvaravati (circa 6th–13th century) style, such as a low usnisa, thick curled hair and a narrow forehead. The joined eyebrows is interesting. Other features include a prominent nose, a wide mouth and thick lips. The earlobes on either side of the neck are elongated. The elegant statue has a slender torso on which the tight-fitting monastic robe is depicted in a style reminiscent of the Indian Gupta period (circa 320–550), especially in the way it hangs in deep folds from the forearms and curves behind the calves.
Most statues from the Dvaravati Kingdom are sculpted from local sandstone. In order to compensate for the limitations of the material, sculptors tend to fashion them into plain and bulky pieces which are upright in position. Here, the Buddha 's shoulders are the same in width as the bottom of the robe, creating an almost unbroken vertical outline. Unfortunately the material 's nature is such that most statues tend to lose their arms. |
