Haripunjaya – Mon tradition

Important stucco Buddha head from the ancient Haripunjaya kingdom in northern Thailand, datable from the late 12th to the early 13th century, with a stylistic attribution that is particularly convincing to the early 13th century. The face features several emblematic characteristics of Haripunjaya sculpture: broad modelling of the face, powerful wavy eyebrows, downcast eyes, wide nose, full lips outlined by a fine mustache, long ears and hair composed of tight small curls rising toward a conical uṣṇīṣa. The hairline, drawn in an embrace above the forehead, further reinforces this very distinctive stylistic identity. The deliberately unfinished reverse indicates that the head originally belonged to a high-relief Buddha figure integrated into a religious architectural decoration, probably placed in a niche or against a monumental structure. This conception corresponds to known Haripunjaya productions and explains the strong frontal orientation as well as the relatively limited depth of the sculpture. The surface preserves an ancient wear that is particularly expressive: progressive erosion of projecting parts, small stucco cavities, deposits and occasional losses that testify to the long material history of the work without compromising the legibility of the face. The piece has moreover been the subject of a scientific report by Antiques Analytics – Institute of Scientific Authenticity Testing, based notably on an examination by scanning electron microscopy and elementary EDX analysis. The observed surface alterations were considered compatible with the proposed antiquity. A particularly relevant comparison is preserved in public collections devoted to Haripunjaya art in Lamphun, as well as in the standard reference literature on Thai sacred sculpture. Mounted on an elegant modern metal plinth, this head combines sculptural presence, typological rarity, ancient provenance and scientific documentation, which makes it a highly representative example of Haripunjaya Buddhist sculpture. video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/zw7sc7ti3t21idfagz8ge/AKnkVcI4VF6xZB6Loajaevg?rlkey=ly2tmmeixgq3909ebnjbkvz65&dl=0

Estimation:€4,500

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