Buddha head; Thailand, 20th century.

Buddha head; Thailand, 20th century.
Carved and polychrome wood.
It shows wear, flaws and fractures in the wood.
Measurements: 74 x 38 x 34 cm; 110 cm (base).
Head of carved and polychrome wood. Each one of its attributes explicitly identifies Sidharta Gautama: the prolonged lobes of the ears symbolize wisdom as well as its origin of aristocratic class. The hairstyle, topped with a bun, alludes in its form to a pagoda or temple. Its symmetrical and stylized features transmit serenity and asceticism. It presents incised decorations on the crown. Each of these features in the representation of Buddha is called "lakshanas". The elongated earlobes allude to the large earrings worn by members of the upper classes in India contemporary to Sakyamuni, and represent the concepts of greatness, nobility and wisdom.