Thai art

Prior to the southwards migration of the Thai peoples from Yunnan in the 10th century, mainland Southeast Asia had been a home to various indigenous communities for thousands of years. The discovery of Homo erectus fossils such as Lampang man is an example of archaic hominids. The remains were first discovered during excavations in Lampang Province. The finds have been dated from roughly 1,000,000–500,000 years ago in the Pleistocene. Stone artefacts dating to 40,000 years ago have been recovered from, e.g., Tham Lod rockshelter in Mae Hong Son and Lang Rongrien Rockshelter in Krabi, peninsular Thailand.[1] The archaeological data between 18,000–3,000 years ago primarily derive from cave and rock shelter sites, and are associated with Hoabinhian foragers.[2]

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  Vessel in the form of a water buffalo; 2300 BC; ceramic; height: 18 cm (7​³⁄₃₂ in.)
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  Bowl; from Ban Chiang site; painted ceramic; height: 32 cm, diameter: 31 cm
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  Jar; 300 BC-400 AD; painted earthenware; Honolulu Academy of Arts (Hawaii, USA)

The Sukhothai period began in the 14th century in the Sukhothai Kingdom. Buddha images of the Sukhothai period are elegant, with sinuous bodies and slender, oval faces. This style emphasized the spiritual aspect of the Buddha, by omitting many small anatomical details. The effect was enhanced by the common practice of casting images in metal rather than carving them. This period saw the introduction of the "walking Buddha" pose.

Sukhothai artists tried to follow the canonical defining marks of a Buddha, as they are set out in ancient Pali texts:

• Skin so smooth that dust cannot stick to it
• Legs like a deer
• Thighs like a banyan tree
• Shoulders as massive as an elephant's head
• Arms round like an elephant's trunk, and long enough to touch the knees
• Hands like lotuses about to bloom
• Fingertips turned back like petals
• head like an egg
• Hair like scorpion stingers
• Chin like a mango stone
• Nose like a parrot's beak
• Earlobes lengthened by the earrings of royalty
• Eyelashes like a cow's
• Eyebrows like drawn bows

Sukhothai also produced a large quantity of glazed ceramics in the Sawankhalok style, which were traded throughout Southeast Asia.

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  The ruins of Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park
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  Phra Achana, Wat Si Chum, Big Buddha image, Sukhothai

The surviving art from this period was primarily executed in stone, characterised by juxtaposed rows of Buddha figures. In the middle period, Sukhothai influence dominated, with large bronze or brick and stucco Buddha images, as well as decorations of gold leaf in free-form designs on a lacquered background. The late period was more elaborate, with Buddha images in royal attire, set on decorative bases.

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  Statue of Buddha Shakyamuni; 14th-15th century; copper alloy; 73.03 x 53.34 x 25.4 cm (28​³⁄₄ x 21 x 10 in.); Los Angeles County Museum of Art (USA)

This period is characterized by the further development of the Ayutthaya style, rather than by more great innovation. One important element was the Krom Chang Sip Mu (Organization of the Ten Crafts), founded in Ayutthaya, which was responsible for improving the skills of the country's craftsmen. Paintings from the mid-19th century show the influence of Western art.

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  Statue of a monk; 19th century; gilt copper alloy; 75.25 x 38.74 x 47.31 cm (29​⁵⁄₈ x 15​¹⁄₄ x 18​⁵⁄₈ in.); Los Angeles County Museum of Art (USA)
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  Buddha Shakyamuni in the Parileyaka forest attended by animals; late 19th century; gilt copper alloy with lacquer; 115.57 x 51.44 x 47.63 cm (45​¹⁄₂ x 20​¹⁄₄ x 18​³⁄₄ in.); Los Angeles County Museum of Art
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  Hanuman on his chariot, a scene from the Ramakien in Wat Phra Kaew (Bangkok)

Modern painting in the western sense started late in Thailand, with Professor Silpa Bhirasri and the establishment of Silpakorn University, but Thai artists are now expressing themselves in a variety of media such as installations, photographs, prints, video art and performance art.

Buddhist temples in Thailand are known as "wats", from the Pāḷi vāṭa, meaning an enclosure. A temple has an enclosing wall that divides it from the secular world. Wat architecture has seen many changes in Thailand in the course of history. Although there are many differences in layout and style, they all adhere to the same principles.

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  Wat Phra Kaew, regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple (wat) in Thailand
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  Roof and gable of the main viharn of Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Mai
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  Wat Benchamabophit, a Buddhist temple (wat) in the Dusit district of Bangkok (Thailand)
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  The kamphaeng kaeo (crystal wall) surrounding the ubosot at Wat Ratchabophit in Bangkok

As the phrase "Thai stilt house" suggests, one universal aspect of Thailand's traditional architecture is the elevation of its buildings on stilts, most commonly to around head height. The area beneath the house is used for storage, crafts, lounging in the daytime, and sometimes for livestock. The houses were raised due to heavy flooding during certain parts of the year, and in more ancient times, predators. Thai building and living habits are often based on superstitious and religious beliefs. Many other considerations such as locally available materials, climate, and agriculture have a lot to do with the style.

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  The traditional Thai house at King Rama II Memorial Park
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  Chulalongkorn Traditional Thai house is a central Thai traditional style house mixed with decoration
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  Traditional Thai-style stilt house on a canal near the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok
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  Suan Pakkad Palace, in Bangkok