Head of Buddha
Mon period, 8th‒9th century
- Medium
- Sandstone
- Classification
- Sculpture
- Dimensions
- 39.4 × 30.5 × 31.8 cm (15 1/2 × 12 × 12 1/2 in.)
- Culture
- Thailand
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago, Arts of Asia
- Credit line
- Gift of Marilynn B. Alsdorf
- Rights
- Public domain (CC0), as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Adult profiles and older: its museum's description or title mentions violence, death or gore. How works are placed
View at the Art Institute of Chicago
About this work
This damaged over-life-sized Buddha head exemplifies the Mon-Khmer artistic style of northeast Thailand during the late first millennium CE. Carved from red sandstone, this Buddha head belonged to a large statue and was likely produced in a regional workshop in the area of modern-day Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) province. Its broad face, elongated earlobes, nearly closed eyes, full cheeks, and delicately contoured lips convey a serene, contemplative expression. The large snail-shell curls adorning the head reflect a blend of imported and local artistic traditions. However, significant damage—including a broken nose, worn facial surface, and missing ushnisha (cranial protuberance)—suggests either natural dislocation or deliberate mutilation, possibly during later periods of conflict or looting. Although its original site remains uncertain due to the widespread displacement of artifacts, the ancient town of Mueang Sema is a strong candidate based on stylistic and material evidence.
Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0
