Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
artistic imagination but has been adapted to the modern context with
museum multimedia installations and contemporary canvas works.
Religious Art
Although most Thais go to temples for religious reasons, tourists go for artistic ap-
preciation. Temples are the country's artistic repositories where you'll find ornate
murals depicting Hindu-Buddhist mythology and Buddha sculptures, which define
Thailand's most famous contribution to the world of religious art.
Always instructional in intent, temple murals often show depictions of the
jataka
(stories of the Buddha's life) and the Thai version of the Hindu epic
Ramayana
.
Reading the murals requires both knowledge of these religious tales and an under-
standing of the murals' spatial relationship and chronology. Most murals are divided
into scenes, in which the main theme is depicted in the centre with resulting events
taking place above and below the central action. Usually in the corner of a dramatic
episode between the story's leading characters are independent scenes of Thai vil-
lage life: women carrying bamboo baskets, men fishing, or a happy communal get-
together. All of these simple village folk wear the ubiquitous Thai smile.
Early temple murals were made from natural pigments, a temperamental medium
that didn't survive the elements. The study and application of mural painting has
been kept alive and today's practitioners often use improved techniques and paints
that hold much longer than before.
Alongside the vivid murals in the sacred temple spaces are revered Buddha im-
ages that trace Thailand's sculptural evolution. The country is most famous for its
graceful and serene Buddhas that emerged during the Sukhothai era.
Artistic Periods
The development of Thai religious art and architecture is broken into different peri-
ods or schools defined by the patronage of the ruling capital. The best examples of
a period's characteristics are seen in the depiction of the Buddha's facial features,
the top flourish on the head, the dress and the position of the feet in meditation.
Another signature of the artistic periods is the size and shape of the temples'
chedi
(stupas) - telltale characteristics are shown in the pedestal and the central
bell before it begins to taper into the uppermost tower.
