Sacred Musician Figure

This wooden statue, lacquered and gilded, represents a musician, probably a flute player, as existed in the temples of ancient Siam. His costume, his headdress, attest to his belonging to the liturgical staff, responsible for animating the dance performances in honor of the Buddha. The attitude is full of vivacity, the figure is charming, with a beautiful look, fine features, a slight smile. The pose is natural, he is seated on a stump, probably for an open-air concert in the temple garden. The care taken in the sculpture, its polish, the precise rendering of the muscles, indicates an ancient work of quality. This is confirmed by the patina of the lacquer, the gold applications, and the inlaid silver mirrors.