A Critique on the Crowned Buddha Head Artwork in The Los Angeles County Museum of Art - Term Paper Example

21 May A Critique on the Crowned Buddha Head Artwork in LACMA The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is the biggest art museum in the western United States that houses over 100,000 objects dated from the ancient times to the present (“Overview”). The art collections of LACMA cover all the countries and its entire history of art (“Overview”). The Asian art holdings are one of the museum’s asset (“Overview”). One of this is the Crowned Buddha Head metal sculpture from Central Thailand which is dated around 17th century (see Figure 1). It has been gifted from the Austin and Irene Young Trust (AC1994.86.2). It is currently on display at the South and Southeast Asian Art Department. Description The Crowned Buddha Head is a sculpture made of metal and copper alloy with gilding. It measures 5 1/4 x 3 x 2 1/2 inches or 13.34 x 7.62 x 6.35 centimeter in area. The arts of Buddhism are truly traditional throughout Asia. This artwork appears to be a product of the royal workshops in Thailand during the ancient times of the king’s absolute power. History (Chareonla) According to artwork experts, the Crowned Buddha Head was created during the 17th Century. It is possible that it is an art of the Ayudhaya Period which lasted from 14th to 18th Century A.D.. The kingdom was established by King U-Tong in 13AD who proclaimed himself as King Rama Tibodi. This kingdom is significant in the Siamese history as it held a vital role for more than four centuries. The Ayudhaya school of art is regarded as Thailand’s national art. It is recognized as the most developed artistic creation which succeeded for a long period of establishment during the Ayudhya kingdom in Siamese history. Ayudhya then was the second capital of Thailand. Growth and development in arts occurred from 1350 A.D. to 1767 A.D., with its peak experienced on the latter period until it was ended by the Burmese. During the last period of the Ayudhaya kingdom, there was a great development in the religious art. Buddhist art advanced well during this time. This is probably when the Crowned Buddha Head was made. Ayudhya acquired 33 monarchs from seven different dynasties. Scholars have divided the long period of the reign of Ayudhaya kingdom into four sub-periods according to the cultural and artistic transformations. The period significant to the appreciation of Crowned Buddha Head is the Art of the Fourth or Last Period (Chareonla). This was the reign of King Boromakot in 1732 A.D. up to the last reigning power of King Ekatat, a total artistic period of 35 years. Art of the Fourth or Late Ayudhaya Period (1732-1767 A.D.) (Chareonla) Actually, the Buddhist art in the Ayudhaya period signified the imitation art of the former Thai art. The initial artworks were that of Sukhothai, U-Tong, Lopburi or Khmer period. During the late Ayudhaya Period, Buddhist arts reached a maximum course of evolution of the characteristic Ayudhaya art. Records show that the late Ayudhaya art was connected with the Third period art that just continued similar to the field of sculpture and minor arts (Chareonla). Buddhist monasteries were restored during this time although few monuments were built. They were able to restore and preserve the old monuments while a new style of monument known as the redented stupa or Chedi thrive from the Third Period and was even more popularized during the Late Ayudhaya period. The best example is the large Chedi Wat Phukhao Tong or the Chedi of Golden Mountain. The Crowned Buddha Head Itself (see Figure 1) The production of Buddha images with the most unusual characteristics was known as the excellent sculptures of the late Ayudhaya period. These were the crowned or decorated Buddha Images called Pra Song Khrueng in Thai. This period is when the Crowned Buddha images became popular. They were either extravagantly decorated, called Pra Song Khrueng Yai in Thai, or they are decorated with a diadem and earring called Song Khrueng Noi. In Song Khrueng Noi, lateral protrusions of diadem above the ears signify the main characteristics. This includes the long, shaped head embellished in front with an ornamental diadem. The head is crowned by a high conical mass that is formed by two, three or more plain rings with its top bearing the traditional lotus-bud. The ear lobes are enriched with pointed earrings, in the best tradition of Khmer art. The girth is also enriched with ornaments which is a characteristic of Lopburi art. The facial and the overall form of the figure are modelled from the specimens of Sukhothai art. It can be noticed that the Ayudhya type figures are stiff and lack proper understanding of the plastic forms especially the fine-looking, peaceful expression that is known to the Classic Thai specimens. Further to the Crowned Buddha image, other features include the thin projecting masses of the robe of the Buddha at the leg sides. This is figured out by the robe hanging down from the arms, giving the statues a bell-shaped form. Although this detail is absent from the LACMA specimen, it is important to study as well the original complete form of the Crowned Buddha Head. The gestures of the Standing Crowned Buddha Images are more remarkable than all the former specimens of Thai Buddha images where most of them have one or two hands raised. This signified that their Lord Buddha forbade his relatives from fighting for the water of the Rohini River or he was subduing the violence of the ocean which symbolized the mastery of mortal passions. Thais refer this gesture as the Ram Samudra Mudra. From here on, the new evolutions of the crowned Buddha Image was initiated in the late Ayudhaya period. Patronage LACMA has been known as an art focused institution. It currently implements its mission of service through translation of its collections into meaningful educational, aesthetic, intellectual, and cultural experiences through its 10 art councils who played significant roles in implementing world class art museum procedures (“Overview”). Each art council supports a particular area of collection. The Southern Asian Art Council (SAAC) is responsible for the patronage of arts in India, through Pakistan and greater South Asia, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, and Indonesia, from the earliest civilizations to the art and culture of today (“Southern Asian Art Council”). They also advocate learning and understanding of the diverse arts and cultures by conducting scholarly lectures, curator-led museum visits, and periodic guided tours to major monuments and art centers in Burma (Myanmar), India, and Thailand (“Southern Asian Art Council”). It has been noted that the Crowned Buddha Head has been gifted through the Austin and Irene Young Trust in 1994. Style and Display in the Museum The Crowned Buddha Head is displayed together with the other South and Southeast Asian artworks. This section displays around 249 pieces of artworks from the Asian region which comprise of paintings, sculptures and decorative arts. Bronze and Iron Age objects and, Buddhist and Hindu sculptures from all periods and regions are also available (“South and Southeast Asian Art”). Other Buddha images that can be viewed are the Buddha Shakyamuni, a gilt copper alloy with partial black coating sculpture from Sri Lanka, another Buddha Shakyamuni, a metal-copper alloy sculpture from Thailand, another Buddha Shakyamuni, a metal-copper alloy sculpture from Burma (Myanmar), the Head of Buddha Shakyamuni which is circa 475, a stone and sandstone sculpture from India and the Jina Buddha Amitabha which is a Lacquer on wood core from Vietnam. The Crowned Buddha Head artwork is grouped with other subjects according to four different categories. These are South and Southeast Asian Art – Sculpture, Bronze (Copper Alloy), Storeroom Treasures – Buddha, South and Southeast Asian Art – Thailand and, South and Southeast Asian Art – Sculpture. These different classifications allow any visitor to easily locate the Crowned Buddha Head using various categories. It is a useful tool for making it accessible to any museum visitor. The Crowned Buddha Head is displayed on a seemingly porcelain material made platform with a central metal stick attached to the center weight of the art piece. The Crowned Buddha Head is carefully pinned in the middle allowing a complete view on the authentic material from which it was made. Its rusty bronze appearance enhances its ancient characteristic of the 17th century. LACMA has achieved a wonderful work of preservation, collection and presentation of the ancient art pieces in the Southeast Asian Region. The Crowned Buddha Head from Central Thailand represents a rich cultural heritage in the Asian geographic part during the 17th century. Several information of history, religion, monarchy, natural resources, art skills and technology can be learned just by observing the Crowned Buddha Head specimen (see Figure 1). Figure 1. Crowned Buddha Head in LACMA (“Crowned Buddha Head”) Works Cited Chareonla, Charuwan. Main Aspects of Buddhist Arts of Thailand. Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. n.d., Web. 21 May 2012. “Crowned Buddha Head.” LACMA, n.d., Web. 21 May 2012. “Overview.” LACMA, n.d., Web. 21 May 2012. “South and Southeast Asian Art.” The Collection. LACMA, n.d., Web. 21 May 2012. “Southern Asian Art Council.” LACMA, n.d., Web. 21 May 2012. Read More