Patterns and Origins of Buddha Images in the Early Period of Ban Chang Lo, Bangkok

Abstract

In the Rattanakosin era, Ban Chang Lo in the Siri Rat sub-district of Bangkok Noi district was one of the biggest and most significant metal casting communities in Thailand, particularly for Buddha images. The beginnings and origins of Buddha image casting in the Ban Chang Lo have been discussed in several previous works. Therefore, this study uses the art history method, combined with historical documents and interviews with the artisans, to discover the origin, time period, and causes that motivated the craftsmen in Ban Chang Lo to begin casting Buddha statues actively.

The results of the study of 37 floral robe Buddha images with inscriptions and evidence found in Ban Chang Lo are proof that Ban Chang Lo started to cast large amounts of Buddha images from the early 20^th century CE onwards. Meanwhile the Royal Foundry, which had done such business before came to a gradual decline in the same time period because of many internal problems. One of the problems is that Mom Chao Suban, the head of the Royal Foundry in the late 19^th century, accepted too much work to cast Buddha statues for the commoners that his subordinates felt affected. Therefore, the subordinates escaped to Ban Chang Lo.

For this reason, Ban Chang Lo was influenced by the Buddha image's stylistic characteristics and its casting technique from the Royal Foundry. Additionally, the Lanna Buddha statue, which was popular at the time, also had an impact on the style of the Ban Chang Lo Buddha statue. As a result, the Buddha images created by craftsmen in the Ban Chang Lo have distinctive characteristics of their own.