PERIODS OF THAI BUDDHIST IMAGES

LOPBURI

From the 9th to the 12th century, the central and western area of Thailand was occupied by Mon civilization called Dvaravati. The Mon shares the same lineage as the Khmers and settled in southern Burma later. The Influence of Dvaravati includes Nakhon Pathom, Khu Bua, Phong Tuk, and Lawo (Lopburi). Dvaravati was a culture of heavy Indian influence, and Theravada Buddhism remained the major religion in this area and Buddhist images were strongly influenced by the Khymers. This period of Buddhist images and art is known as Lopburi.

LANNA/CHIENG SAEN

After the period of Khymer influence, Lanna and Chieng Saen period arises in the 12th century in Northern Thailand covering areas of Laos, Lampoon, Chieng Saen and Chieng Mai. Chieng Saen period of Buddha images have heavy solid body and wide shoulders, rounded face and the Unisa ends with a lotus bulb like end, and the Sanghati usually ends at the left chest. Later period of Chieng Saen images were influenced by Sukhothai artisans, the round face and strong body of Chieng Saen images turned slender, the Sanghati ends at the waist and the Unisa ends with the Sukhothai flame.

SUKHOTHAI

While in Sukhothai in the same period, the first Thai kingdom formed and the kingdom spread to north to Lampang and south to Malay Peninsula. During this time Thailand had strong friendship with neighboring countries. It absorbed elements of various civilisations and Sukhothai artisans reform Buddhist images from the Khymer influenced crowned head and kingly robes figures to the soft, slender surreal appearance of Sukhothai Buddha images, the headdress was replaced by the Unisa. The mythical appearance of Khymer influenced images disappeared and replaced by Sukhothai art expressing the supreme-being qualities and compassionate nature of the Buddha.

U-THONG

In the 14th century, the kingdom of Ayuthaya was established, U-Thong period (pre-Ayuthaya period) of Buddhist images were influenced by both Khymer and Sukhothai art, most U-Thong images have the slender grace of Sukhothai images, and a distinctive wide, thick band along the hairline which is evident in most U-Thong images.

AYUTHAYA

And after Sukhothai's downfall, the Thai moved their capital to Ayuthaya. Ayuthaya period exist from the 15th to the 17th century, and many styles of art influenced Ayuthaya period images when Ayuthaya flourished and interacted with neigbouring civilisations. While new styles of art also arised from older period of arts. Buddha images from earlier Ayuthaya period maintained the Sukhothai Buddha images' appearance, and later images of Ayuthaya period became more ornately adorned, and often decorated with jeweled crowns and kingly robes, inspired by a Jataka tale of how Buddha had used his Dhamma to humbled and enlightened a proud and greedy king known as Jambupati. There was much freedom in style of Buddhist images and these statues images were usually homemade without much specifications during this period, artisans of this period expressed their art freely, resulting in a interesting mix of styles. The Europeans first visited Ayuthaya in the 16th century, and when Ayuthaya was destroyed by the Burmese in the 18th century, a seriously large number of temples and religious artefacts were destroyed and looted by Burmese forces.

RATTANAKOSIN

Rattanakosin period started in the 18th century after the fall of Ayuthaya, established in Thonburi and subsequently moved to Bangkok. Buddhist images took on a newer style of art, following the style of art of late Ayuthaya period, artisans further elaborately decorated images and images took on an even more regal and prestige feel than those of later Ayuthaya period. Rattanakosin period statue images significantly are more detail and fine in craft, with glided gold leaves and red or black laquer underneath. The Rattanakosin artisans produced one of the finest of Buddhist images in Thailand in both style and craftmanship.

RATCHAKAN

Ratchakan images started approximately in the same period as Rattanakosin emerged since the start of Chakri Dynasty in the 18th century. Ratchakan images oftenly follows exacty the styles of older periods of Buddhist images, oftenly imitating the styles of Lanna/Chiengsaen, and Sukhothai images and they were sometimes cast out of an alloy of copper and gold.