The
Sukothai or Sukodhaya Style was flowering in the 12th-14th
Century, with an emphasis on metal sculpture and stoneware.
Cambodian influence waned and an independent tradition
arose that favored sharp delineation of form. Although
that style eventually exhausted itself, relying on elaborate
ornamentation and over-refinement of forms, it helped
define Thai art styles that continue to this day.
This
fragment exemplifies the delicacy and grace that appears
in sculpture from the period. The form is smoothly finished
with chased details that describe the fingernails and
the scalloped base of the fingers.The curved-back fingertips
are elegantly formed and angled at the ends. The fragment
gives a sense of the whole, and represents the entire
Buddha showing the “no fear” gesture.
