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| The Art Collection Of National Museum Bangkok |
- National Museum Bangkok, considered the largest in Southeast Asia, houses a vast
collection of antiquities from the periods, prehistory, Dvaravati,
ancient Hindu [ Indianised art ], Lop Buri, Srivijayua, Ayutthaya, Lan
Na, Sukhothai and Bangkok [ Rattannakosin ].
- The collection of antiquities from the period of King Mongkut ( 1851-1868, “the King and I” King ) comprises the major part of the collection.
- The first two exhibition galleries contain exhibits from Thai Prehistory and History.
- The gallery of Thai Prehistory contains items of ceramics and bronzes
from the excavation sites of Ban Kao [ Kanchanaburi ], Non Nok Tha [ Khon
Kaen ] and Ban Chiang [ Udon Thani ].
- The gallery of Thai History contains amongst other artefacts, a stone
inscription in the form of an obelisk of King Ram Kamhaeng, the father
of the Thai alphabet, recording the history of Sukhothai.
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- The main part of the Museum’s collection is housed in galleries within
the Central Palace Building [Phra Wiman] and also in the two
contemporary exhibition galleries, the South Wing and North Wing.
- The internal galleries of the Phra Wiman contain orderly collections of
gold and royal regalia, ceramics (where the history of stoneware from
the Ayetthaya and Sukhothai periods is detailed), Thai Khon masks and
puppets, mother-of-pearl inlay objects, ivory (including a beautiful
ivory howdah or elephant seat), stone, wood, textiles and costumes,
Buddhist religious objects, weapons including a life size model of a
war elephant, musical instruments, enamels, forms of transport. Adjacent to this older section is the Gallery of Royal Funeral Chariots
displaying beautiful palanquins and chariots used for royal cremation
ceremonies.
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- The North and South Wings contain exhibits from all over Asia from the
Dvaravati through to the Bangkok period, to show how Thai culture and
art has been influenced and shaped.
- The South Wing The South Wing exhibits date from
the Dvaravati to the Lopburi periods.
- The people of Dvaravati, the Mon,
were highly skilled artists of stone sculpture, stucco and terra cotta
decoration. Among the interesting exhibits are several Buddha images
and a large free-standing Wheel of the Law, dating from the 7th to 8th
century, whose spokes are carved completely in the round, bearing an
inscription of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.
- The Srivijaya empire
which ruled from central Java, stretched as far as the peninsular of
Thailand from late 7th to end 13th century A.D. The decorative
sculptures including Hindu deities, show the influence of Indian and
Javanese art. Between 10th to mid 13th centuries, the Khmer ruled from
Lopburi in central Thailand. Their highly detailed sculptures of Hindu
gods, mythological animals and foliage were designed to be viewed in
the round
- The North Wing exhibits date from the Lanna, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and
Ratanakosin or Bangkok periods. The gallery of Lanna art has objects
from excavations at Chiang Mai, including figures of animals.
- The
Sukhothai period of mid 13th to 14th centuries is represented by
Buddhist bronze images, including the Walking Buddha, a seated Buddha
and a Buddha footprint. However bronze images of Hindu gods were also
cast during this period, although they closely resembled the Buddha
images in anatomical proportions. The figure of Uma, the wife of the
Hindu god Shiva, and Vishnu another Hindu God are both crowned and
dressed in court attire. It is believed that they were cult objects in
royal court rituals performed by Brahmin priests.
- The period of
Ayutthaya art from 12th to 18th century is represented by the serene
bronze and sandstone figures of Buddha and richly decorated cabinets of
black lacquer and gold.
- The galleries of the Ratanakosin or Bangkok period, which developed
from the late 18th century, contain exhibits of minor arts, furniture,
teapots, musical instruments, coins, and paper objects. There is also a
standing Gandhara style bronze Buddha which was commissioned by King
Rama V, The European anatomy represents a distinct blend of Thai and
Western art.
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| Mon Period Pottery National Museum Bangkok |
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| Chaiya Bronze from South Thailand |
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