Head and Torso of a Buddha, Sukhothai Period, 14th century. Bronze, 38 x 22 1/2 x 11 in., 189 lb. (96.5 x 57.2 x 27.9 cm, 85.73kg). Brooklyn Museum, Purchased with funds given by the Charles Bloom Foundation, Inc., in memory of Mildred and Charles Bloom, 88.94. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Sculptors in Thailand developed a distinctive type of Buddha image during the Sukhothai period, characterized by elongated and curling limbs, fingers, and toes. This remarkable example of a Sukhothai Buddha has lost its arms and legs, but their absence draws our attention to the exaggerated curves in the rest of the body.

Buddha images have elongated earlobes because the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, gave up his heavy earrings, along with the rest of his wealth, when he decided to pursue a spiritual life. Here, his earlobes flip up slightly at the ends, a decorative detail not seen on most Buddha images made outside of Thailand. His long neck sits atop very wide shoulders and then his torso tapers dramatically, terminating in a narrow waist.

The stylization and beautification of the Buddha’s body suggest that his enlightenment made him more graceful and less earthly than mere humans. That idealization typically extends to the face, with the eyebrows coming together in a smooth point. In this example, carefully rendered pursed lips and a soft jaw make the Buddha look more human and organic.