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STORY KEE HWA CHEE
Thailand’s most precious and outstanding modern works of art come alive at the spectacular ‘Arts of the Kingdom?exhibition.
National Treasures housed in a National Treasure. This just about describes the bejewelled contents inside a magnificent European style palace that was formerly Thailand’s Parliament.
The spectacular ‘Arts of the Kingdom?exhibition houses incredible works of consummate art made by royal goldsmiths and craftsmen made for Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand, and to demonstrate the sublime cultural heritage of Thailand. The masterpieces are on show in the Throne Hall of Ananta Samakhom, one of Bangkok’s most magnificent buildings and the venue for the King of Thailand’s 60th anniversary.
There are only 23 major items on display and most are around a metre long and one to three metres high. Apart from the wooden screens, they are either of solid gold or gilded. These scale models include palanquin, barge, howdah, boat, and Buddha’s footprint and throne, condensed to exquisite proportions.
These replicas are based on actual human-sized equivalents which exist, though a few are from legends. The Sri Suphannahongse Royal Barge is a precise model of the barge of King Rama 1 and is a spectacular work of gold, silver, enamel and diamonds. The Bhudtan Royal Palanquin is a duplicate of the wooden throne inside nearby Dusit Palace and crafted in gold damascene and embellished with rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds as well as iridescent beetle wings. The Sivakakarn is a covered palanquin for high ranking
royals with saddled roof and gables of
perforated gold and enamelled patterns.
The Sappagab Phragajatarn is a howdah
once used to carry the Thai king on the back of his personal
elephant when going forth to battle. This costlier version
on display flaunts a silver inner frame, embossed gold
floral designs and embedded with diamonds. The Busabok
Mala is a royal regalia of the highest rank and made of gold
niello, damascene, enamel, silver, gold and wood carving
embellished with beetle wings.
The carved wood screen, the size of a wall, tells the
legend of ‘Bejaratana?and how the first coloured gems
were created, while the carved Sabokkoranee Lotus Pond
screen has 3D carvings of lotus buds, leaves and flowers so
realistically rendered you might think they can sway.
The only actual sized objects on show are cutlery,
plates, stemware and table decorations. An entire table
is arranged exactly as it was set for guests attending the
60th anniversary of the King of Thailand’s ascension to
the throne in 2006. The table’s centrepieces are a pair
of peacocks with diamond studded tails, gold and silver
figurines from Thai legends and auspicious objects, while
the menu covers are made of ivory carved with floral
motifs and mythical creatures. Take your time to admire
and examine these wondrous works at close range amid
equally sumptuous surrounds.
Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall is open to the public daily from 10am to 6pm. Appropriate attire is required and sarongs can be purchased at the entrance.
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