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16th - 17th Century Bronze Lao Head of Buddha

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All Items: Archives: Pre 1700: item # 827436

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Boran Asian Art
Grays, 1-7 Davies Mews,
Mayfair, London, W1
0044 (0)795 422 8735

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16th - 17th Century Bronze Lao Head of Buddha
Details: An attractive, well modeled example of a Laotian Bronze head of Buddha. Buddha’s face is serene with heavy lidded eyes and a content smile over a full and slightly elongated chubby face. The flame finial is one of the finest I have seen on a Lao Buddha, the long flames almost floral in design finishing at the top in the form of a lotus bud. I believe this piece dates form before the 17th century due to the quality as well as the very ornate flame, the slight dip in the hair line at the top of the forehead and the prominent mango stone chin, which all speak of Northern Thai Lanna and Sukhothai influences pre 1550. This piece seems to be a Lao version of a Lanna styled Buddha of the period. The length of face with the spacing of the hair knots also point to this piece being Lao rather than Northern Thai.

From around the early 17th century Lao bronze casters had a tendency to simplify Buddha’s proportions from the more traditional northern Thai forms resulting in a kind of angular individuality, which has become easily recognizable as Lao. This head has a certain detail and quality which on the whole seems absent in later Lao Buddha images, which combined with the Northern Thai influences mentioned in the first paragraph helps confirm the dating of the piece.

Age: 16th to early 17th Century.

Height: 20 cm on base, 15.5 cm off base.

Remarks: Note the beautiful glassy green patina on the left hand side of the face.



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