Country Group: South and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam)

Item id: 229

This is a very early Buddha head. The previous owner, who has great expertise, believed that it was 10/11thC Cambodian. It looks a lot like some very early Burmese heads I have seen from the same period, so I am not positive on the area of origin, although the dating seems right. There are traces of ancient red lacquer evident on the back. As in most great folk art, this piece is both naive and extremely alive at the same time, and has a certain sweetness not found in more traditional pieces. I've not seen one quite like this before. The head stands 2 inches high.