VCM

A figure of Budda
Figura Buddy: MT-DW-9

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Why this is a
Masterpiece

The sculpture presents a young man "en face” standing on a round base. The last of the base levels is in a form of a gold lotus. His outstretched arms are bent at the elbows with the inner sides of the hands facing toward the viewer. There seems to be a subtle smile on his face with slant eyes and curved brows. His ears are long. On his curled hair there is “ushnisha”. He wears a robe which covers the upper part of body tightly and a “dothi” which covers his legs.

History of the Object: Buddhism became established in Thailand in the sixth and seventh centuries C.E., having been adopted by the people known as the Mon. The kingdom of Sukhothai (meaning 'Dawn of Happiness') was established in northern Thailand in the thirteenth century, and was inhabited by the Thai people who originally came from China. The Buddha images of this period are particularly slender and graceful and characterized by a ushnisha or vertically pointed 'hair-piece'. This image was created not only as a contemporary reminder of Gautama Buddha, but was, in itself, an object of respect and intense veneration. The purpose of creating this kind of art was not to delight the eye or to decorate, but to remind, enlighten, and instruct.

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Type: Sculpture
Materials: Bronze, gilding
Measurements: 54,5 x 17 cm
Creator name: Unknown
Creator date: Unknown
Where it was made: Thailand
Geography: Thailand
Time period: AD 12th century ~ AD 13th century
Creation date: 12th Century - 13th Century
Function: Religious
Acquisition: This object derived from a large collection of the famous Polish collector, Tadeusz Wierzejski (1892 – 1974) who handed down this sculpture to the museum in 1966.
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Owner: District Museum, Torun
Museum: District Museum, Torun
Credit line