Sutra Chest

THAILAND; Ayutthaya Kingdom

This sutra chest was created during the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350–1767). It was probably used for containing manuscripts in the royal palace.
The wooden chest is made of black lacquer with gold leaf to form various images and patterns. The lid and sides of the rectangular chest are decorated with a flaming pattern, and in the center of the front, there is a garuda with a bird’s head and a human body. The garuda wears a flaming crown and holds up two nagas. The bare upper body is adorned with ornaments. There is a mythical creature on either side, and with legendary birds flying above, and wild rabbits are playing in the woods in the bottom left corner.
The two sides of the sutra chest have bronze loops and are decorated with twin lions playing on one side, and a pair of mythical creatures on the other side. The back of the chest has an illustration of a fish-tailed naga whose back is painted with animal faces.