Sukhothai art

Sukhothai (pronounced soo-koe-tie) is a term used to describe art made in Thailand during the period of the Sukhothai Kingdom. This era of Thai history occurred in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The art from this period was characterized by a reduced emphasis on realistic depictions of the human form in favor of increasingly stylized imagery inspired by Buddhist philosophy. The word Sukhothai translates to "dawn of happiness" or "happiness of the Thais" in English. The Sukhothai Kingdom is regarded as the earliest forerunner to the modern state of Thailand.

Sukhothai art is most famous for its Buddha statuary, although the Sukhothai style encompasses a broad collection of artistic works ranging from murals to architectural monuments. The Sukhothai style was the cumulative pastiche of several important regional influences, including the Lankavong Theravada Hinayana sect of Buddhism, Khmer cultural aesthetics, Chinese construction design, and Japanese artwork. In addition, it incorporated other regional influences, such as elements from the rival Pala, Pagan, and Lan Na cultures.

Brief History

The Sukhothai period marks one of the peak cultural epochs in Thai history. In fact, the emergence of the Sukhothai Kingdom into a distinct empire is often regarded as the start of modern Thai culture. The Sukhothai period stretches from 1238, when Tai chieftains expelled the Khmers from the regional capital of Sukhothai to 1438, when the Sukhothai Kingdom became a vassal state of the neighboring Ayutthaya Kingdom.

The original ancestors to the contemporary Thais are the Tai people, who are believed to have entered Southeast Asia sometime around 700 CE. Between the eighth and tenth centuries, this ethnic group established itself as one of the dominant cultures in the region. These people increasingly adopted the Theravada Buddhist religion, becoming a mix of Southeastern and Indian Asian traditions. They eventually fell under the control of the Khmer Empire in the tenth century.

Over the next two centuries, the Khmer Empire fell into decline, allowing the Tai people of the Sukhothai region to regain their independence and become a regional power in their own right. An influx of Tai warriors who fled into Sukhothai territories to escape Mongol domination in the north further solidified the military strength of the new kingdom. These people adopted the name Thai (meaning "free" in the Thai language) to differentiate themselves from those Tai people still under the control of other regional forces.

In the late thirteenth century, the Sukhothai Kingdom expanded both its geographical boundaries and its regional authority. It officially adopted the Theravada form of Buddhism from Sri Lanka as its official state religion. King Ramkhamhaeng was perhaps the most important of the Sukhothai rulers. Leader of Sukhothai from 1279 to 1298, Ramkhamhaeng expanded the political and cultural reach of his kingdom. He enriched the financial coffers of Sukhothai by converting several smaller nations within its sphere of influence into vassal states. He also developed ties with China, enabling him to bring Chinese artisans to Sukhothai. These artisans helped to give rise to the ceramics industry of the Sukhothai Kingdom. This era marked perhaps the height of Sukhothai culture. It became a key trade stop in the region. It also became an important center of Buddhist religious thought and art.

Upon Ramkhamhaeng's death in 1298, the Sukhothai Kingdom encompassed most of Thailand's present borders. However, the kingdom fell into slow decline under his successors. In 1349, the Sukhothai Kingdom became a vassal state of the rival Ayutthaya Kingdom. By 1438, the remains of the Sukhothai Kingdom were absorbed by the Ayutthaya Kingdom.

Overview

The best remaining examples of Sukhothai architecture are found at the Sukhothai Historical Park, which holds the archaeological remains of the Sukhothai provincial capital and two significant neighboring towns. Built over the course of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the park encompasses an area of 46 square miles (11,852 hectares) and served as both the administrative and religious center of the Sukhothai Empire. Included on the grounds are many temples, military buildings, and Buddhist monasteries. The monasteries were built of brick that was overlaid with stucco. They were often decorated with ornate sculptures depicting the Buddha, murals, and other ornamental features. The most characteristic feature of Sukhothai architecture is the presence of chedi, a regional form of the classic Buddhist stupa. Stupa are dome-shaped buildings that were based upon the physical representation of the Buddhist conception of the universe, called the mandala. These buildings were typically used for meditation and to house important Buddhist relics. The design of the chedi stupa was based on the shape of the lotus flower, an important symbol of the Buddha.

Chedi were built around a circular base representing the mandala. Inside, these buildings would have a square chair meant to represent the Buddha. Over this chair was a chatra, which is an umbrella-shaped construction hung over the chair like a chandelier. They were built as a series of ascending tiers of decreasing size and are regarded as symbols of great significance that represent the equality of all humankind. Other commonly recurring architectural elements of Sukhothai construction include the mondop, a wood or brick temple with a distinctive spire that tapers up into a pointed peak; the bot, a type of male-only hall; the viharn, the main congregation area of the temple; and the prasat, a type of castle-like building in the shape of a cross that features a rounded spire.

Sukhothai sculpture, which is perhaps the most renowned form of Sukhothai art, was characterized by its idealized and graceful depictions of the Buddha. The guiding artistic force behind the construction of these statues was based upon Buddhist philosophical thought. These statues were cast in bronze, rather than carved from stone as many previous Buddhist statues had been. Sukhothai representations of the Buddha were intended to be illustrative of him after his spiritual enlightenment. In general, the depictions of human figures tended to be idealized and light in spirit. The face of the Buddha is oval, while his eyes are half-closed with a subtly smiling mouth. These aspects are intended to show the inner spiritual strength of the Buddha.

The capital of Sukhothai was also an important regional center of ceramics manufacturing. Chinese artisans brought to the Sukhothai Kingdom by King Ramkhamhaeng were the primary architects of the form. Called Sangalok (or Sawankalok) ware, this style of ceramics is a style of stoneware that was glazed in various muted shades of blue-greens and gray-greens. An added layer of decorative design that was applied in black glaze was often included as well. This style of ceramics became a popular trade export throughout Southeast Asia.

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