Burma
As Southeast Asian art goes, Burmese art is some of the most unique and beautiful found anywhere and, yet, it remains one of the least studied forms of art. The majority of the studies dedicated to Burmese, traditional Buddhist art, has focused on the amazingly serene Pagan period of art (1044-1287).
From the mid 1880’s to 1947, Burma had been annexed to India and had diverted the attention of scholars studying Burmese art to studying Indian art instead. This, in addition to the fact that most Burmese documents and studies had rarely been translated into other languages, helped assure that most of the populations of the world remained in the dark about Burmese art and sculpture.
Brick was the primary material used architecturally in Burma. Classic Burmese architecture tends to be consistently restrained and barren. As for the sculptures of Burma (stone, bronze, stuccoed brick, terracotta, and wood), they have received little attention from scholars as well.
-Marble Burmese Monk Statue, 1M in height
When I was first in Burma (2001), I remember feeling that everyone I saw was either a soldier carrying a machine gun or a monk in robes. I saw very little private sector. The monks I saw seemed pure and about their business. The spiritual and, more specifically, the Buddhist influence, is therefore apparent in all Burmese art.
After the fall of the Pagan period, we begin to see a greater development toward stylization in Burmese art. About the 18th and 19th Centuries, we begin to see more ornate and elaborate figures. The use of alabaster (a high quality Thai marble) was much more prevalent during the Shan Period (17th & 18th Centuries). Some of the most beautiful and serene Buddhas ever created come from this period.
Not only did the Pagan period leave a strong influence on Burma’s art history, but so did the Pyu, Irrawaddy, and Mon Kingdom of lower Burma play an influence as well. There have been sites discovered which have yielded valuable information showing relics dating back as far as the 5th Century AD (Pyu dynasty dated 5th-9th Centuries AD).
To understand both Thai and Burmese art, one must pay particular attention to the presence and importance of Buddhism. I tend to collect either Buddhas and other spiritual artifacts, or I collect pottery (used for a more fundamental or utilitarian purpose). Collectors of Buddhas are often heard to say that “you have to love the face to love the Buddha.” The Buddhas from Burma and Thailand are some of the sweetest and most beautiful Buddhas found anywhere.
email link: Piyiya Makornpan Youngblood