Head of the Buddha

Description The dating of the sandstone sculpture of Ayutthaya has been a problem for scholars, and there has been a persistent belief that it should all be placed in the 17th century. Stylistically, however, it appears to belong to the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. An exact correspondence between stone and bronze should not be expected. Nevertheless, most of the features of this head- especially the treatment of the mouth, eyes, and eye sockets- correspond to the classic Early Ayutthaya type. The absence of a band at the edge of the curls suggests a conscious decision to follow Sukhothai.

Conservation

Date	Description	Narrative
2/09/1984	Examination	survey
5/12/1995	Treatment	cleaned; loss compensation; other

Exhibitions

• Unearthly Elegance: Buddhist Art from the Griswold Collection. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1995.

Provenance Alexander B. Griswold, Monkton, July 1949, [presented to the Breezewood Foundation, inv. no. 760], by purchase [in Ayutthaya, Thailand]; Walters Art Museum, 1979, by gift.

Inscriptions none

Credit Gift of Alexander B. Griswold, 1979