{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O24733"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O24733/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF1862/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF1862/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BF1862","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O24733/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O24733","accessionNumber":"IS.20-1988","objectType":"Sculpture","titles":[{"title":"Head of the Buddha","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"This head shows the Buddha with thickly arranged hair curls, a sharp yet broad nose, defined cheekbones, and a lower lip characteristic of sculptures made at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka around the 6th or 7th century. It is made of cast copper alloy, possibly bronze, with a dark patina and pitted surface damage. The head once belonged to a medium-sized sculpture of the Buddha, either seated or standing. The style of this sculpture is related to that of Amaravati, a major centre of Buddhism on the east coast of India. The head was reportedly found in Java, Indonesia. There is precedent for such a claim, as small metal sculptures like this are highly portable, and a number of Buddhist images made in Sri Lanka or in the Amaravati style have been found in Southeast Asia, including in Indonesia, where monastic institutional connections were maintained with Sri Lankan centres in the 8th and 9th centuries.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"copper alloy","id":"AAT10942"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lost wax","id":"AAT53113"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bronze","categories":[],"styles":[{"text":"Anuradhapura","id":"AAT19080"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006BF1862"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES394900"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Head","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Sri Lanka","id":"x30937"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"6th century-7th century","earliest":"0500-01-01","latest":"0700-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This object was purchased from Alex Biancardi (Walmore Collection) in 1988.\r\n\r\nAlexander Biancardi (1924–1999) was a collector and dealer whose interest in Asian art, particularly medieval religious sculpture from South and South-East Asia. The V&A holds a substantial group of objects associated with him which were acquired between the late 1980s and late 1990s, through purchases, gifts, and bequests from Biancardi and his family. Several of the works are currently on display.\r\n\r\nBorn in Alexandria, Egypt, Biancardi moved to Australia in 1947, where he entered the textile trade. In the early 1960s, he relocated to France and worked for a Dutch textile company with business interests in Asia. His exposure to the region led him to begin collecting Asian art in the 1950s, a pursuit he continued into the 1990s. He returned to Australia later in life. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Head of Buddha, copper alloy, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, 6th or 7th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John. 'Buddhist Bronzes of Southern India : Rediscovering a Lost History' in Arts of Asia, volume 30 number 6, Nov-Dec 2000, pp.103-110."}],"production":"Sri Lanka","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhist","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.20-1988"],"accessionNumberNum":"20","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1988,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-07-09","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-13","availableToBook":true}}