AN IMPORTANT VERY LARGE BUDDHA HEADThailand, Ayutthaya, 15th century. Masterly carved sandstone with a gentle expression, the heavy-lidded eyes framed by curved brows meeting at center, straight nose, and contoured lips with a hinted at mustache, prominent chin and the hair arranged in neat rows of curls rising to the ushnisha.Provenance: From an old Austrian private collection of Buddhist art. Acquired from Galerie Zacke, Vienna, ca. 1985. Thence by descent. Condition: Spectacular condition with some wear and weathering as well as minor losses visible on the photos in the catalogue and online at www.zacke.at. Remainders of old lacquer and gilding within the curly hair. Modern base.Weight: 86 kilograms including the base.Dimensions: Height 65 cm (not including the base) and 74 cm including the base.For a closely related Buddha head, yet of smaller size, see Christies New York in ‘Indian and Southeast Asian Art’, March 22nd, 2011, lot 251.