Circa 1960 Rubbings of Thai Aspara Dancers on Rice Paper - Matted & Framed Under Glass

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The Aspara dancers depicted in the photos were made by an artist using rice paper and colored chalks. Known as … Read more The Aspara dancers depicted in the photos were made by an artist using rice paper and colored chalks. Known as temple rubbings, the artist would trace and rub the scenes and images from the relief carvings from the Wat Pho temple walls located in the Phra Nakhon district in Bangkok Thailand, using the chalks onto the rice paper (or silk). There are many temple wall stone relief carvings on the outside of the Ubosot temple depicting scenes from the Thai literary Ramakein epic, the Thai adaptation of Ramayana. In the late 1960s the Thai government banned the practice of producing rubbings from the temple walls in order to preserve the detail and original beauty of the stone temple relief carvings for future generations. For fun, I've include a photo (see #12) of an artist in the 1960s creating a rubbing. The artwork measures as follows:

Overall: 22¾” x 25” x 1” W/H/D
Interior: rice paper artwork 20” x 17¾” H/W surrounded by a 1½” mat; glass 23” x 21” H/W

The artwork was framed by A d’Antonio Art Gallery & Frames in Naples, Italy sometime in the early 1970s. The rubbings and rice paper are in excellent condition, as is the faux bamboo gilt wooden frame. The only wear is to the mat underneath (see all photos), where you can see a shadow of the matting tape that was used to hold the artwork in place when it was originally framed. You may choose to have it re-matted or just hang it as is (as I chose to) and enjoy it. Built-in hangers on the back are outfitted with piano wire that will allow you to hang it upon receipt. This beauty will make a winsome and colorful statement in any modern home regardless of design style.

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