Antique Thai Buddhist Phra Malai Samut Khoi Illustrated Leaf Manuscript Page

Details

Description

Antique Thai Buddhist Phra Malai Samut Khoi Illustrated Leaf Manuscript Page

In very nice original condition showing some typical age-appropriate … Read more Antique Thai Buddhist Phra Malai Samut Khoi Illustrated Leaf Manuscript Page

In very nice original condition showing some typical age-appropriate wear from normal use

Professionally mounted and framed beneath glass so please pardon any glare and reflections

Please see photos for precise condition

16" highest
31.5" widest
1" deepest


This artwork is a leaf from a Thai Buddhist manuscript (typically known as a Samut Khoi). These folding books were historically used to record religious texts, such as the Phra Malai or the Abhidhamma.

Key Features

• Central Text: Written in Khom script, an ancient Khmer-derived script traditionally used in Thailand for sacred Pali or Sanskrit religious texts.

• Illustrations:

• Left Panel: Depicts celestial beings or Devas floating among clouds, often shown paying homage.

• Right Panel: Likely portrays a scene from the story of Phra Malai, a Buddhist monk who traveled to heaven and hell to teach and bring back messages for the living.

• Style: The figures are painted in the traditional Thai style, characterized by delicate lines, specific hand gestures (mudras), and ornate headdresses.

These manuscripts were typically commissioned as acts of merit-making and are highly valued for their religious significance and folk-art beauty.

This framed 19th-century Thai folding manuscript, known as a samut khoi, depicts scenes from the legend of the monk Phra Malai, who is believed to have traveled to heaven and hell.

• The accordion-style manuscript, likely created using ink and watercolors on thick paper, features calligraphy in Thai or Khom script alongside detailed figural illustrations.

• Such manuscripts were commonly used in funeral ceremonies to teach about merit and the afterlife. See less