Wat Rajasittharam Ordination Hall Murals

THAILAND, Bangkok; Bangkok period

These murals are painted in the ordination hall at Wat Rajasittharam Temple in Thonburi, Bangkok during the rule of King Rama I (reigned 1782–1809). On the west wall behind the main Buddha statue, there are murals depicting Buddhist Cosmology and the Visvantara Jataka. The Defeat of Mara and Enlightenment is illustrated in the upper register of the east wall, and the Distribution of Relics Among Eight Kings is painted below. On the north wall there are more scenes from the Life of the Buddha, and the south wall is covered with illustrations of Jataka tales.
During the reign of King Rama I, Buddhist art flourished, incorporating both traditional and innovative stylistic elements, which are reflected in these murals. Following the artistic style of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (circa 1350–1767), jagged bands are used to divide the murals into sections. The backgrounds of intense red, brown, cyan, and black, a combination rarely seen before the time of Rama I, create a solemn atmosphere.