Reclining Buddha

Buddha images in Thailand are shown in four postures: sitting, standing, walking, and reclining. Reclining images usually refer to the Buddha’s death. Sometimes, in their architectural contexts, scenes of the Buddha’s final moments were painted around them.
Some reclining images are enormous. In the capital of the Ayutthaya kingdom, for instance, a reclining image, at the western side of the city facing the setting sun, reaches a length of ninety-two feet.

This image shows clearly how bronze statues were covered with a thin layer of lacquer and then gilded. In this instance, several layers of lacquer can be seen, and it is likely that the surface was repaired or recoated several times. The left corner of the base was broken off at some point and replaced with wood.

Thermoluminescence testing has yielded a probable age for this object of 200 to 350 years. On the basis of its facial features and certain other details, the museum staff believes an age of 300 to 400 years to be likely.