Thailand, 8th-9th century. Finely carved and sensitively modeled with a serene expression marked by neatly incised downcast eyes and full bow-shaped lips forming a subtle smile, flanked by long pendulous earlobes, the hair arranged in thick snail-shell curls over the domed ushnisha.

Provenance: From the private collection of Olivier Marechal, Belgium, acquired 1998. Olivier Marechal (b. 1973) is a noted Belgian collector and dealer specializing in the arts of India, Vietnam, and Thailand. He began his career in the mid-1990s, learning from his father who helped him with his first purchases. He later managed Surya Gallery in Brussels, Belgium.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Wear, structural cracks, expected losses, minor chips and nicks, signs of weathering and erosion, all as expected.

Weight: 8,030 g
Dimensions: Height 23 cm

With an associated modern stand. (2)

Archaeological research over the past two decades or so has revealed the presence of a 'proto-Dvaravati' period which spans the 4th-5th century, and perhaps earlier. Dvaravati itself was heavily influenced by Indian culture and played an important role in introducing Buddhism and particularly Buddhist art to the region.

Dvaravati art came into form around the 6th century by the Mon communities as part of numerous minor kingdoms that existed in Thailand. Surrounding geography proved treacherous for travel and thus provided a fair amount of isolation for the individual kingdoms. Isolation enabled the development of a highly sophisticated and distinct Mon-Dvaravati style.

Expert's note: While there is great variation within the Mon-Dvaravati tradition, the sensitivity paid to the modeling of these facial features is in keeping with the period's focus on the purity and fluidity of form. As expressed by Jean Boisselier in The Heritage of Thai Sculpture, 1975, page 73, “The school of Dvaravati may stand alongside the great Buddhist artistic traditions of India, so enduring were its innovations and so persuasive its influence on most of the art of Southeast Asia.”

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 15 March 2016, lot 318
Price: USD 25,000 or approx. EUR 31,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gray sandstone head of Buddha, Thailand, Mon-Dvaravati period, 9th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar facial features. Note the closely related size (24 cm)