skulptur, statyett, sculpture

Function: During the stay of the frigate Vanadis in Bangkok during its circumnavigation (1883-1885), the Swedish archaeologist and ethnographer Hjalmar Stolpe (1841-1905) the first official director of the Museum of Ethnography (1900-1905), bought a small collection of Buddha statuettes. They are all richly decorated and gilded in the style that was prevalent in Bangkok during the latter part of the nineteenth century. This Buddha statuette depict “Buddha under the hood of the Naga (snake) king Muchalinda”. This is a scene from the life of the historical Buddha. According to tradition, Buddha sat for seven weeks at the base of a Banyan tree in deep meditation after he had reached the state of enlightenment. To protect Buddha against lightning and rain, the snake king Muchalinda, who lived under the tree, he wound his way from his den and wrapped himself seven times around the body of the Buddha and spread his cobra hood over Buddha’s head. Buddha could thus continue his meditation without cessation. On this particular statue the coiled up body of the snake king forms a throne for the Buddha and the Naga hood has been transformed into seven separate Naga heads. The canonical texts mention 32 attributes that characterise a Buddha. Most of them are physical marks. One of the most common is ushnisha, a crown protrusion that can sometimes resemble a royal turban. The depicted “Muchalinda Buddha” is crowned with a flame of fire or a jewel, which is a characteristic iconographical detail with Thai representations of Buddha. The flame of fire is a manifestation of Buddha’s being, which is filled with cosmic energy. This energy surrounds Buddha as radiance and gives his skin a golden hue, it shines through his monk’s robe so that it seems thin, diaphanous and sticking to the body and it bursts into a flame on Buddha’s head. Acquisition Purchased in Bangkok by Hjalmar Stolpe during a halt there during his circumnavigation with the Swedish naval frigate Vanadis. It appears that Stolpe bought the statuettes directly from the manufacturers. Why this is a masterpiece Though an object of high quality, it is neither an unusual nor a rare object internationally. However, it is unique in the collections of the Museum of Ethnography and has thus, because of this, acquired quite an importance and usefulness to this institution. The collections of the Museum of Ethnography mirror the contacts Sweden has had with far off societies and cultures, and Mainland Southeast Asia is for that reason less well represented than most other areas. History of the Object Purchased in Bangkok in by Hjalmar Stolpe during a halt there during his circumnavigation with the Swedish naval frigate Vanadis. It appears that Stolpe bought the statuettes directly from the manufacturers. Firstly it was included in the so called “Vanadis collections”, then together with the rest of this large collection contributing to the original holdings of the Ethnographic Museum. (Virtual Collection of Masterpieces, http://masterpieces.asemus.museum/Default.aspx)