G742.1 (G347) STUCCO HEAD OF A MONK

THAI, LATE AYUTTHAYA PERIOD, 18^TH CENTURY

H. 28 CMS, 11 INS

A remarkable, gilded and lacquered stucco head of a monk, the features vivid and life-like, with a tranquil expression and mother-of-pearl inlaid eyes.

The kingdom of Ayutthaya, established by King U Thong in 1350 in the Chao Phraya River basin to the north of Bangkok was, until the Burmese attacked and burned its capital in 1767, one of the richest and most enduring sovereignties of Southeast Asia, attracting innumerable merchants and other visitors, not only from neighbouring Asian countries but also from Europe as well.

This head probably comes from an attendant figure to a large seated Buddha in a temple. The Wat Koh Kaeo Suttharam in the town of Phetchaburi – an important royal fort during the Ayutthaya period – was built in 1734 and has a related bronze ensemble – see page 45 in S. Leksukhum, Temples of Gold: Seven Centuries of Thai Buddhist Paintings, London: Thames & Hudson, 2001.

Provenance: Private American collection.

Previously sold by us in 2010.