Mandalay-style Buddha Images Found in Chiang Mai in the 25th Buddhist Century

Abstract

The making of Mandalay style Buddha images has been continuously popular since the 25th Buddhist century until the present day. Apart from the Mandalay area, they have also been found prevalently in other parts of Burma, and in many areas in Thailand. In each area, they often show different artistic styles that cumulate in their unique traits. Chiang Mai is another area where Mandalay style Buddha images can be found widely. Therefore, the objective of this research was to examine the artistic styles of Buddha images made according to Mandalay style found in Chiang Mai area around the 25th Buddhist century. This study used research methodology from Art History to explore important artistic features of the Buddha statue samples in the area which can be different from the original style in Burma. The study reveals that most Mandalay style Buddha images found in Chiang Mai were blended with Lanna art in many ways. This is consistent with the area being the center of Lanna culture. As a result, this finding indicates that Buddha statue samples in the study area were not made by craftsmen from Mandalay but by local craftsmen in Chiang Mai.