Head of the Buddha
late 18th–19th century
Medium
Copper alloy, with traces of leaf gilding.
Dimensions
Height: 10.2 cm.
Classification
Metalwork
Culture
Thai
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1430
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, *Head of the Buddha* exemplifies Thai metalwork from the late 18th to 19th century. Craft from copper alloy and adorned with traces of leaf gilding, the sculpture stands just 10.2 cm tall, suggesting it may have been part of a larger devotional figure or a standalone votive object. The serene facial features, with downcast eyes and subtle smile, evoke the meditative tranquility central to Thai Buddhist iconography. In Thai culture, deeply rooted in Theravada Buddhism, such images served as focal points for worship, med...
About the Artist
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