The bronze head is representative of the Sukhothai style of Buddhist sculpture. The Sukhothai kingdom (now modern-day North and Central Thailand) rose to prominence during the mid-thirteenth century, historically becoming Thailand’s first kingdom. From 1378 to 1438, Sukhothai became a vassal state of the succeeding Ayutthaya kingdom and was fully subsumed by the fifteenth century. Despite the decline of the kingdom, Sukhothai art influenced subsequent Thai art styles, and Sukhothai Buddha statues remain distinguishable today.
Key characteristics of the Sukhothai style of Buddha, as seen in this bronze head, include a symmetrical perfect oval face, a slender and prominent aquiline nose, snail shell curls, downcast eyes, elongated earlobes and pointed ears, and gentle arched eyebrows. The face possesses a gentle smile, conveying a peaceful, meditative, and serene demeanor. The statue also has a flaming ushnisha, adding to the energy, radiance, and enlightened qualities of the Buddha. Compare the facial features of the present work with those of a bronze Seated Buddha in māravijaya from the fifteenth century, illustrated by H. Woodward, Jr. in The Sacred Sculpture of Thailand, London, 1997, p. 144, fig. 145, cat. no. 55.