Head of Buddha
Pre-Angkorean
Mon period, 8th‒9th century
Medium
Sandstone
Dimensions
42 × 30.5 × 31.2 cm (16 5/8 × 12 × 12 5/16 in.)
Classification
sculpture
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
146854
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
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...