A TRADITIONAL THAI PAINTING ON CLOTH DEPICTING A SCENE FROM THE THERAGĀTĀ


Thailand, 19th centurycolour pigment, gouache and gold leaf.88 x 88 cm. (34 5/8 x 34 5/8 in.)
|泰國 十九世紀 傳統泰國織品繪畫關於長老偈經中一景 Provenance:Private Collection, ThailandArising from the extra-canonical commentaries on the stanzas of the ancients (theragāthā), this dynamic illustration depicts the overcoming of the Naga-king Nandopananda by Moggallāna, one of the Buddha's closest disciples. One morning, the Buddha accompanied by five hundred monks floated over Nandopananda's abode on their way to Tavatimsa Heaven, while the Naga-king was busy feasting in the company of his female Naga dancers. Nandopananda found this behaviour particularly offensive and decided to prevent the Buddha from completing his journey. He expanded himself to gargantuan scale and proceeded to coil his body around Mount Meru, thereby blocking their way to Tavatimsa. After long and epic confrontation, the Naga-king admits defeat and pays reverence to the Buddha and his redemptive powers. (Boisselier, Jean. Thai painting, 1976, p. 208-212.)The style and technique of this piece parallel the development of the mural painting tradition from the Bangkok/Rattanakosin era, itself based on the Ayutthaya tradition. The colour palette, use of gold leaf, the linear depiction of the figures, palace buildings and decorative motifs as well as the expression of spatial awareness through the use of an isometric perspective, are rooted in this heritage. (Lyons, Elizabeth. 'Thai Traditional Painting' in Thai Culture, New Series, No. 20, 1990.)A mural of the same subject and composition can be observed at the Buddhaisawan Chapel of the Old Palace of Wang Na, appearing alongside scenes from the life story of the Buddha. (Fickle, Dorothy. The Life of the Buddha Murals in the Buddhaisawan Chapel, Bangkok, 1979, panel 18.)