Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Finial with the Head of the God Brahma
(Southeast Asia )
At the same time that Thai sculptors were casting what are now considered the classic bronze images of the Buddha, potters in the Sukhothai region were producing vast quantities of ceramics. Thousands and thousands of dishes and covered bowls were shipped to the islands of Southeast Asia.
This architectural fixture was made for local use. The four-faced god is probably a Buddhist manifestation of the Hindu creator-god Brahma. He and other Brahmas reside in the upper tiers of heaven, which are reserved for gods in deep, long-lasting trances. This sculpture might once have been placed atop a gate.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Southeast Asian Art Collection; Walters Art Museum, 2002, by gift.
Geographies
Thailand, Sukhothai (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 12 5/8 × W: 8 1/2 × D: 8 1/2 in. (32 × 21.6 × 21.6 cm)
Credit Line
Gift from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Southeast Asian Art Collection, 2002
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
49.2802