The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 23, 2025

Bust of Buddha

c. 700

Central Thailand, Dvaravati, Mon-Dvaravati style, 7th-9th Century

limestone
Overall: 60.6 x 34.3 cm (23 7/8 x 13 1/2 in.)
John L. Severance Fund 1969.56
Location: 243 Indian and Southeast Asian

Description

While the iconographic elements, such as elongated earlobes, cranial protuberance, and snail-shell curls derived from India, the local Mon people of Thailand gave their unique expression to the facial features of the Buddha. The beauty of sharply delineated eyes and stylized curling full lips was appreciated among the Mon, and these features impart an almost piercing serenity that is distinctive to Thai images from this early period of sculptural production in Southeast Asia.
  • Year in Review: 1969. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (January 27-February 22, 1970).
  • {{cite web|title=Bust of Buddha|url=false|author=|year=c. 700|access-date=23 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1969.56