Thailand, Sukkothai period, 14th/15th century

The pleasing proportions, subtle smile, and tranquil eyes of this bust of Buddha make it a beautiful example of Sukkothai period sculpture. It exemplifies the ideal features as laid out in the Silpasastra, where the head is in the shape of an egg, the hair resembles scorpion stings, the nose is like a parrot's beak, the eyebrows form drawn bows, and the chin is in the shape of a mango stone. (see T. Bowie, The Art of Thailand, 1960, p. 92). The delicate facial features are strongly reminiscent of the images produced in the Sukkothai kingdom, which spanned from the mid-13th to mid-15th centuries.