Paying Respect to Lord Buddha, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat
#1 - Paying Respect to Lord Buddha

Top 100 - Thai painting

Thai Painting: 100 Essential Paintings from Thailand's Museums

From MOCA Bangkok to the National Gallery and the Silpakorn collections, one hundred paintings chosen for their importance, not for their simple online availability.

This Top 100 is based on museum notices and a very simple rule: each entry must be a verifiable painting. Bronzes, photographs, drawings, prints and museum bags therefore remain politely at the door.

100classified paintings
26artists represented
1949first National Art Exhibition
100 paintingsmuseums, modern masters and Siamese heritage
Look at the museumsMOCA Bangkok, the National Gallery and Silpakorn provide the basis for the classification and verifiable records.
Follow the mastersChalermchai, Thawan, Fua, Chakrabhand, Panya and Prateep come before repetitive anonymous series.
Weigh the recognitionNational awards, institutional presence and historical significance count more than just an available title.
Keep the legacyWat Phumin, the phra bot and some great Siamese stories complete the route without invading the entire Top.

National collections at MOCA Bangkok

One hundred paintings chosen by their weight in Thai art

MOCA Bangkok preserves an extensive collection of contemporary Thai painting. The rooms dedicated to Thawan Duchanee and the ensembles of Chalermchai Kositpipat, Prateep Kochabua, Somphong Adulyasaraphan and Panya Vijinthanasarn give the ranking its first core.

A true ranking does not confuse one hundred available images with one hundred essential works: the museum, the artist and history must first vote.
Switch to images

Classification in images

I
Icons and masters

Chalermchai, Thawan, Fua, Chakrabhand, Panya and the most recognized historical images open the ranking.

Paying Respect to Lord Buddha, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #1
Chalermchai Kositpipat

Paying Respect to Lord Buddha

Date1990CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat63cm x 232.5cm

"Paying Respect to Lord Buddha" first attracts with its color, then catches the eye with a narration that can be read almost gesture after gesture. In "Paying Respect to Lord Buddha", chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The instructions for "Paying Respect to Lord Buddha" give concrete benchmarks: 1990, MOCA Bangkok, 63cm x 232.5cm. For "Paying Respect to Lord Buddha", its singularity comes precisely from this mixture between codified framework and freedom in details.

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Spiritual Eye, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #2
Chalermchai Kositpipat

Spiritual Eye

Date1994CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat64cm x 89cm

In "Spiritual Eye", the painted space becomes an active scene where architecture, figures and ornaments advance at the same pace. In "Spiritual Eye", chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The instructions for "Spiritual Eye" give concrete benchmarks: 1994, MOCA Bangkok, 64cm x 89cm. For "Spiritual Eye", we come back to it for the episode, then we stay for the details which had discreetly prepared their move.

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Black Magic Defies Goddess, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #3
Chalermchai Kositpipat

Black Magic Defies Goddess

Date1987CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat89.5cm x 120cm

"Black Magic Defies Goddess" never really separates the story from the setting: each outline helps the story find its place. In "Black Magic Defies Goddess", chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The instructions for "Black Magic Defies Goddess" give concrete benchmarks: 1987, MOCA Bangkok, 89.5cm x 120cm. For "Black Magic Defies Goddess", the work thus recalls that Thai painting tells with line as much as with characters.

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Good and Evil, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #4
Chalermchai Kositpipat

Good and Evil

Date1990CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat90cm x 120cm

The composition of "Good and Evil" organizes a host of details without losing the main thread, which prevents the eye from asking for directions. In "Good and Evil", Chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The instructions for "Good and Evil" give concrete benchmarks: 1990, MOCA Bangkok, 90cm x 120cm. For "Good and Evil", the painting therefore retains a double life: document of its time and visual experience always active.

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The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man), painting by Thit Buaphan #5
Thit Buaphan

The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man)

Datearound 1867CollectionWat Phumin, Nan

With "The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man)", Thai painting transforms a precise scene into lasting visual memory. In "The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man)", at Wat Phumin, the close profiles, clothing and confidential gesture give this scene an intimacy that has become emblematic of Nan. The notice of "The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man)" gives concrete benchmarks: around 1867, Wat Phumin, Nan. The notice of "The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man)" gives concrete benchmarks: around 1867, Wat Phumin, Nan. For "The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man)" gives concrete benchmarks: around 1867, Wat Phumin, Nan. For "The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man)" gives concrete benchmarks: around 1867, Wat Phumin, Nan. For "The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man)" gives concrete benchmarks: around 1867, Wat Phumin, Nan. For "The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man)" gives concrete benchmarks: around 1867, Wat Phumin, Nan. For "The Whisper of Love (Pu Man Ya Man)" gives concrete benchmarks: around 1867, Wat Phumin,

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Churning of the Milk Ocean, painting by Prateep Kochabua #6
Prateep Kochabua

Childing of the Milk Ocean

Date2010CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat200cm x 500cm

"Churning of the Milk Ocean" is discovered in layers: the action first, the signs then, then the tiny finds left in the margins. In "Churning of the Milk Ocean", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has many details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Churning of the Milk Ocean" give a lot of details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Churning of the Milk Ocean" give concrete benchmarks: 2010, MOCA Bangkok, 200cm x 500cm. For "Churning of the Milk Ocean" give concrete benchmarks: 2010, MOCA Bangkok, 200cm x 500cm. For "Churning of the Milk Ocean", the result remains alive because the story never erases the material or the pleasure of looking.

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Middle Earth (Part of The Three Kingdoms), painting by Panya Vijinthanasarn #7
Panya Vijinthanasarn

Middle Earth (Part of The Three Kingdoms)

Date2011CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat300cm x 700cm

In "Middle Earth (Part of The Three Kingdoms)", the flat areas, lines and changes of scale give the story a very concrete energy. In "Middle Earth (Part of The Three Kingdoms)", panya Vijinthanasarn renews Buddhist painting with monumental compositions where cosmology, symbol and contemporary space respond to each other. The notice from "Middle Earth (Part of The Three Kingdoms)" gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 300cm x 700cm. The notice from "Middle Earth (Part of The Three Kingdoms)" gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 300cm x 700cm. For "Middle Earth (Part of The Three Kingdoms)" gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 300cm x 700cm. For "Middle Earth (Part of The Three Kingdoms)" gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 300cm x 700cm. For "Middle Earth (Part of The Three Kingdoms)" gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 300cm x 700cm. For "Middle Earth (Part of The Three Kingdoms)" gives concrete benchmarks: 20

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Portrait of a Girl (Duangta Nandakwang), painting by Chakrabhand Posayakrit #8
Chakrabhand Posayakrit

Portrait of a Girl (Duangta Nandakwang)

Date1971CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

"Portrait of a Girl (Duangta Nandakwang)" shows that an image can be at once devotion, chronic and pleasure of detail without becoming an endless reunion. In "Portrait of a Girl (Duangta Nandakwang)", chakrabhand Posayakrit gives the portrait an elegant precision where the costume, pose and silence of the model become as important as the face. The notice of "Portrait of a Girl (Duangta Nandakwang)" gives concrete benchmarks: 1971, Art Center Silpakorn University. For the notice of "Portrait of a Girl (Duangta Nandakwang)" gives concrete benchmarks: 1971, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Portrait of a Girl (Duangta Nandakwang)" gives concrete benchmarks: 1971, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Portrait of a Girl (Duangta Nandakwang)" gives concrete benchmarks: 1971, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Portrait of a Girl (Duangta Nandakwang)" gives concrete benchmarks: 1971, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Portrait of a Girl (Duangta Nandakwang)" gives concrete benchmarks:

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Mahabhinishkramana 2, painting by Thongchai Srisukprasert #9
Thongchai Srisukprasert

Mahabhinishkramana 2

Date2008CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat175cm x 250cm

The first look captures the episode of "Mahabhinishkramana 2"; the second notes how gestures and colors regulate the tempo. In "Mahabhinishkramana 2", thongchai Srisukprasert combines painting, collage and Buddhist iconography to make visible awakening, renunciation and the cycles of existence. The instructions for "Mahabhinishkramana 2" give concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 175cm x 250cm. The instructions for "Mahabhinishkramana 2" give concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 175cm x 250cm. The instructions for "Mahabhinishkramana 2" give concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 175cm x 250cm. The instructions for "Mahabhinishkramana 2" give concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 175cm x 250cm. The instructions for "Mahabhinishkramana 2" give concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 175cm x 250cm. The instructions for "Mahabhinishkramana 2" give concrete benchmarks: 200

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New Exhibition of Fossils, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #10
Somphong Adulyasarapan

New Exhibition of Fossils

Date2006CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat194cm x 153cm

"New Exhibition of Fossils" circulates the eye between main figures and secondary scenes like a story that knows its shortcuts perfectly. In "New Exhibition of Fossils", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The notice of "New Exhibition of Fossils" gives concrete benchmarks: 2006, MOCA Bangkok, 194cm x 153cm. For "New Exhibition of Fossils", its strength lies as much in its historical value as in the way the image remains readable today.

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Seated Man, painting by Chakrabhand Posayakrit #11
Chakrabhand Posayakrit

Seated Man

Date1974CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

In "Seated Man", the setting does not enclose the story: it gives it direction, pauses and a few well-chosen detours. In "Seated Man", chakrabhand Posayakrit gives the portrait an elegant precision where the costume, pose and silence of the model become as important as the face. The instructions for "Seated Man" give concrete benchmarks: 1974, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Seated Man", its singularity comes precisely from this mixture between codified framework and freedom in details.

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Queen Suriyothai in battle on her elephant, painting by Anonymous Siamese Artist #12
Anonymous Siamese artist

Queen Suriyothai in battle on her elephant

Date19th centuryCollectionThai collection

The strength of "Queen Suriyothai in Combat on Her Elephant" comes from her balance between narrative readability and decorative profusion. In "Queen Suriyothai in Combat on Her Elephant", an anonymous Siamese artist organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice of "Queen Suriyothai in combat on her elephant" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Thai Collection. For "Queen Suriyothai in combat on her elephant" gives concrete references: 19th century, Thai Collection. For "Queen Suriyothai in combat on her elephant" gives concrete references: 19th century, Thai Collection. For "Queen Suriyothai in combat on her elephant" gives concrete references: 19th century, Thai Collection. For "Queen Suriyothai in combat on her elephant" gives concrete references: 19th century, Thai Collection. For "Queen Suriyothai in combat on her elephant" gives concrete references: 19th century, Thai Collection. For "Queen Suriyothai in combat on her elephant" gives concrete references: 19th century, Thai Collection. For "Queen Suriyothai in combat on her elephant" gives concrete references: 19th century, Thai Collection. For "Queen Suriyothai in combat on her elephant" gives concrete references:

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Prasong Luemuang Painting Festival #13
Prasong Luemuang

Festival

Date1988CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

"Festival" has this generous density where each character seems to have something to do, sometimes even more than expected. In "Festival", prasong Luemuang belongs to the generations distinguished by the National Art Exhibitions; composition, color and local experience build a solidly Thai modernity. The "Festival" instructions give concrete benchmarks: 1988, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Festival", the work recalls that Thai painting tells with line as much as with the characters.

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Blind Musicians, painting by Bundit Padungvichian #14
Bundit Padungvichian

Blind Musicians

Date1967CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

In "Blind Musicians", the hierarchy of sizes and positions makes the episode understandable before even knowing all the names. In "Blind Musicians", Bundit Padungvichian organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice from "Blind Musicians" gives concrete benchmarks: 1967, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Blind Musicians", the painting therefore retains a double life: document of its time and visual experience still active.

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Zebra Crossing, painting by Bundit Padungvichian #15
Bundit Padungvichian

Zebra Crossing

Date1965CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

"Zebra Crossing" combines precision of drawing and freedom of story in a surface that remains alive at all distances. In "Zebra Crossing", Bundit Padungvichian organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "Zebra Crossing" give concrete benchmarks: 1965, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Zebra Crossing", the image thus gains depth without losing the clarity which makes it immediately memorable.

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The Gateway to Nirvana, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #16
Chalermchai Kositpipat

The Gateway to Nirvana

Date1994CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat180cm x 200cm

The scene of "The Gateway to Nirvana" advances through looks, hands, animals and architecture, with a sense of movement that does not depend on noise. In "The Gateway to Nirvana", Chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The instructions for "The Gateway to Nirvana" give concrete benchmarks: 1994, MOCA Bangkok, 180cm x 200cm. For "The Gateway to Nirvana", the result remains alive because the story never erases the material or the pleasure of looking.

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In Praise of Lord Buddha, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #17
Chalermchai Kositpipat

In Praise of Lord Buddha

Date1992CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat150cm x 300cm

"In Praise of Lord Buddha" gives an immediate presence to the religious or epic world it represents, without reducing it to a simple illustration. In "In Praise of Lord Buddha", chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The notice of "In Praise of Lord Buddha" gives concrete benchmarks: 1992, MOCA Bangkok, 150cm x 300cm. For "In Praise of Lord Buddha", this dialogue between story and surface gives it a presence which goes far beyond its immediate subject.

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Village and Town Corruption, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #18
Somphong Adulyasarapan

Village and Town Corruption

Date1994CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat115cm x 134cm

In "Village and Town Corruption", the repeated patterns build the rhythm while the gaps give each episode its particular emphasis. In "Village and Town Corruption", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The notice from "Village and Town Corruption" gives concrete benchmarks: 1994, MOCA Bangkok, 115cm x 134cm. For "Village and Town Corruption", it offers a useful milestone for understanding how the Siamese workshops adapted texts, rites and observation of the world.

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Vidhura teaches Dhamma at the Punnaka yakkha, a painting by Ateliers de Wat Suthat #19
Wat Suthat workshops

Vidhura teaches Dhamma to the Punnaka yakkha

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Suthat, Bangkok

"Vidhura teaches Dhamma to the Punnaka yakkha" knows how to fill space without suffocating it, an appreciable skill in a palace or on a screen. In "Vidhura teaches Dhamma to the Punnaka yakkha", Wat Suthat workshops organize the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice of "Vidhura teaches Dhamma to the Punnaka yakkha" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suthat, Bangkok. For "Vidhura teaches Dhamma to the Punnaka yakkha", this tension between religious function and visual invention explains its lasting strength.

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Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner, painting by anonymous Siamese artist #20
Anonymous Siamese artist

Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner

Daterattanakosin periodCollectionAsian Art Museum, San Francisco

The color of "Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner" distributes roles as surely as costumes, postures and attributes. In "Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner", the figure of the Buddha controls the axis of the composition; expectations, flames, lotuses and secondary registers make a spiritual hierarchy visible. The notice of "Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner" gives concrete benchmarks: Rattanakosin era, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. For "Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner" gives concrete benchmarks: Rattanakosin era, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. For "Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner" gives concrete benchmarks: Rattanakosin era, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. For "Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner" gives concrete benchmarks: Rattanakosin era, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. For "Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner" gives concrete benchmarks: Rattanakosin era, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. For "Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner" gives concrete benchmarks: Rattanakosin era, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. For "Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner" gives concrete benchmarks: Rattanakosin era, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. For "Buddhas of the past and future, phra bot banner" gives concrete benchmarks: Rattanakosin era,

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Panya or Wisdom: Means of Survival, painting by Pradit Tungprasartwong #21
Pradit Tungprasartwong

Panya or Wisdom: Means of Survival

Date2011CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

"Panya or Wisdom: Means of Survival" combines sacred narrative and everyday observation, so that a familiar detail can suddenly carry a huge idea. In "Panya or Wisdom: Means of Survival", Pradit Tungprasartwong organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice from "Panya or Wisdom: Means of Survival" gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Panya or Wisdom: Means of Survival" gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Panya or Wisdom: Means of Survival" gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Panya or Wisdom: Means of Survival", its singularity comes precisely from this mixture between codified framework and freedom in details.

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Calumny, painting by Prateep Kochabua #22
Prateep Kochabua

Calumny

Date2002CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat110cm x 150cm

In "Calumny", ornament does not come after the story: it contributes to its speed, its solemnity and sometimes its humor. In "Calumny", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has many details and no desire to remain discreet. The "Calumny" instructions give a lot of details and no desire to remain discreet. The "Calumny" instructions give concrete benchmarks: 2002, MOCA Bangkok, 110cm x 150cm. For "Calumny", we come back for the episode, then we stay for the details which had discreetly prepared their move.

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Dream Land I, painting by Prateep Kochabua #23
Prateep Kochabua

Dream Land I

Date2002CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat150cm x 200cm

"Dream Land I" transforms the wall, the canvas or the page into a space that the eye travels through rather than into an image consumed in one go. In "Dream Land I", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has a lot of details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Dream Land I" give a lot of details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Dream Land I" give concrete benchmarks: 2002, MOCA Bangkok, 150cm x 200cm. For "Dream Land I", the work thus recalls that Thai painting tells with line as much as with the characters.

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The 15th Day of the Waxing Moon in the Year of the Tiger, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #24
Somphong Adulyasarapan

The 15th Day of the Waxing Moon in the Year of the Tiger

Date2008CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat137cm x 181cm

The narration of "The 15th Day of the Waxing Moon in the Year of the Tiger" remains clear despite the richness of the details, proof that a well-painted crowd can be better organized than a queue. In "The 15th Day of the Waxing Moon in the Year of the Tiger", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The notice of "The 15th Day of the Waxing Moon in the Year of the Tiger", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The notice of "The 15th Day of the Waxing Moon in the Year of the Tiger" gives concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 137cm x 181cm. For "The 15th Day of the Waxing Moon in the Year of the Tiger" gives concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 137cm x 181cm. For "The 15th Day of the Waxing Moon in the Year of the Tiger" gives concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 137cm x 181cm. For "The 15th Day of the Waxing Moon in the Year of the Tiger" gives concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 137

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Hanuman and Ongkhot discover the armies of Kumphakan, painting by anonymous Siamese artist #25
Anonymous Siamese artist

Hanuman and Ongkhot discover Kumphakan's armies

Date19th centuryCollectionPainting by Ramakien

"Hanuman and Ongkhot discover the armies of Kumphakan" brings together movement, symbol and decor in a composition whose order is revealed little by little. In "Hanuman and Ongkhot discover the armies of Kumphakan", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The notice of "Hanuman and Ongkhot discover the armies of Kumphakan" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Painting of the Ramakien. For "Hanuman and Ongkhot discover the armies of Kumphakan" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Painting of the Ramakien. For "Hanuman and Ongkhot discover the armies of Kumphakan" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Painting of the Ramakien. For "Hanuman and Ongkhot discover the armies of Kumphakan" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Painting of the Ramakien. For "Hanuman and Ongkhot discover the armies of Kumphakan" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Painting of the Ramakien. For "Hanuman and Ongkhot discover the armies of Kumphakan" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Painting of the Ramakien. For "Hanuman and Ongkhot discover the armies of Kumphakan" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Painting of the Ram

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II
The museum as arbiter

Works from MOCA Bangkok and winners of the National Exhibitions install a documented modern canon.

Telepathy, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #26
Chalermchai Kositpipat

Telepathy

Date1990CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat120cm x 90cm

"Telepathy" first attracts with its color, then catches the eye with a narration that can be read almost gesture after gesture. In "Telepathy", Chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The instructions for "Telepathy" give concrete benchmarks: 1990, MOCA Bangkok, 120cm x 90cm. For "Telepathy", the result remains alive because the story never erases the material or the pleasure of looking.

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lndra at Travatimsa Heaven, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #27
Chalermchai Kositpipat

lndra at Travatimsa Heaven

Date1993CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat89cm x 119cm

In "lndra at Travatimsa Heaven", the painted space becomes an active scene where architecture, figures and ornaments advance at the same pace. In "lndra at Travatimsa Heaven", chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The instructions for "lndra at Travatimsa Heaven" give concrete benchmarks: 1993, MOCA Bangkok, 89cm x 119cm. For "lndra at Travatimsa Heaven" give concrete benchmarks: 1993, MOCA Bangkok, 89cm x 119cm. For "lndra at Travatimsa Heaven" give concrete benchmarks: 1993, MOCA Bangkok, 89cm x 119cm. For "lndra at Travatimsa Heaven" give concrete benchmarks: 1993, MOCA Bangkok, 89cm x 119cm. For "lndra at Travatimsa Heaven" gives concrete benchmarks: 1993, MOCA Bangkok, 89cm x 119cm. For "lndra at Travatimsa Heaven" gives concrete benchmarks: 1993, MOCA Bangkok, 89cm x 119cm. For "lndra at Travatimsa Heaven" gives concrete benchmarks

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The Buddha descending from the sky Trayastrimsa in Sankissa, painting by Anonymous Thai Artist #28
Anonymous Thai artist

The Buddha descending from the sky Trayastrimsa in Sankissa

Date19th centuryCollectionMetropolitan Museum of ArtFormat142.2 x 74.3 cm

"The Buddha descending from the sky Trayastrimsa in Sankissa" never really separates the story from the setting: each outline helps the story find its place. In "The Buddha descending from the sky Trayastrimsa in Sankissa", the figure of the Buddha controls the axis of the composition; expectations, flames, lotuses and secondary registers make a spiritual hierarchy visible. The notice of "The Buddha descending from the sky Trayastrimsa in Sankissa" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 142.2 x 74.3 cm. For "The Buddha descending from the sky Trayastrimsa in Sankissa" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 142.2 x 74.3 cm. For "The Buddha descending from the sky Trayastrimsa in Sankissa" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 142.2 x 74.3 cm. For "The Buddha descending from the sky Trayastrimsa in Sankissa" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 142.2 x 74.3 cm. For "The Buddha descending from the sky Trayastrimsa in Sankissa" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 142.2 x 74.3 cm. For "The Buddha descending from the sky Trayastrimsa in S

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The Blessing of Lord Buddha, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #29
Chalermchai Kositpipat

The Blessing of Lord Buddha

Date2006CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat177.5cm x 146.7cm

The composition of "The Blessing of Lord Buddha" organizes a host of details without losing the main thread, which prevents the eye from asking for directions. In "The Blessing of Lord Buddha", Chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The notice of "The Blessing of Lord Buddha" gives concrete benchmarks: 2006, MOCA Bangkok, 177.5cm x 146.7cm. For "The Blessing of Lord Buddha", this tension between religious function and visual invention explains its lasting strength.

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Phrommachat divination manual, painting by anonymous Thai artist #30
Anonymous Thai artist

Phrommachat divination manual

Date19th centuryCollectionChester Beatty Library, Dublin

With "Phrommachat Divination Manual", Thai painting transforms a precise scene into lasting visual memory. In "Phrommachat Divination Manual", an anonymous Thai artist organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "Phrommachat Divination Manual" give concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Chester Beatty Library, Dublin. For "Phrommachat Divination Manual" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Chester Beatty Library, Dublin. For "Phrommachat Divination Manual", its strength lies as much in its historical value as in the way the image remains readable today.

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Clairvoyant in Heaven, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #31
Chalermchai Kositpipat

Clairvoyant in Heaven

Date1989CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat90cm x 120cm

"Clairvoyant in Heaven" is discovered in layers: action first, signs later, then tiny finds left in the margins. In "Clairvoyant in Heaven", chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The instructions for "Clairvoyant in Heaven" give concrete benchmarks: 1989, MOCA Bangkok, 90cm x 120cm. For "Clairvoyant in Heaven", its singularity comes precisely from this mixture between codified framework and freedom in details.

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At Your Beck and Call, painting by Prateep Kochabua #32
Prateep Kochabua

At Your Beck and Call

Date2000CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat105cm x 145cm

In "At Your Beck and Call", the flat areas, lines and changes of scale give the story a very concrete energy. In "At Your Beck and Call", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has a lot of details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "At Your Beck and Call" give concrete benchmarks: 2000, MOCA Bangkok, 105cm x 145cm. For "At Your Beck and Call" give concrete benchmarks: 2000, MOCA Bangkok, 105cm x 145cm. For "At Your Beck and Call" give concrete benchmarks: 2000, MOCA Bangkok, 105cm x 145cm. For "At Your Beck and Call" give concrete benchmarks: 2000, MOCA Bangkok, 105cm x 145cm. For "At Your Beck and Call" we come back for the episode, then we stay for the details which had discreetly prepared their move.

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Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts, painting by anonymous Thai artist #33
Anonymous Thai artist

Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts

Date19th centuryCollectionWalters Art Museum, Baltimore

"Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts" shows that an image can be at once devotion, chronicle and pleasure of detail without becoming an endless reunion. In "Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts", Prince Vessantara's story tests generosity, separation and return; gestures make these moral choices immediately visible. The notice of "Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Ten Gifts" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "V

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Fantasy Land III, painting by Prateep Kochabua #34
Prateep Kochabua

Fantasy Land III

Date2011CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat150cm x 225cm

The first look captures the episode of "Fantasy Land III"; the second notices how gestures and colors regulate the tempo. In "Fantasy Land III", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has many details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Fantasy Land III" give many details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Fantasy Land III" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 150cm x 225cm. For "Fantasy Land III", the painting therefore retains a double life: document of its time and visual experience still active.

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Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest, painting by anonymous Thai artist #35
Anonymous Thai artist

Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest

Date19th centuryCollectionWalters Art Museum, Baltimore

"Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest" circulates the eye between main figures and secondary scenes like a story that knows its shortcuts perfectly. In "Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest", Prince Vessantara's story tests generosity, separation and return; gestures make these moral choices immediately visible. The notice of "Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For the notice of "Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. The notice of "Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Himavanta Forest" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th

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Way to Heaven, painting by Prateep Kochabua #36
Prateep Kochabua

Way to Heaven

Date2011CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat200cm x 170cm

In "Way to Heaven", the setting does not enclose the story: it gives it direction, pauses and a few well-chosen detours. In "Way to Heaven", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has many details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Way to Heaven" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 200cm x 170cm. For "Way to Heaven" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 200cm x 170cm. For "Way to Heaven" gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 200cm x 170cm. For "Way to Heaven", the result remains alive because the story never erases the material or the pleasure of looking.

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Fantasy Land II, painting by Prateep Kochabua #37
Prateep Kochabua

Fantasy Land II

Date2010CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat165cm x 300cm

The strength of "Fantasy Land II" comes from its balance between narrative readability and decorative profusion. In "Fantasy Land II", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has a lot of details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Fantasy Land II" give concrete benchmarks: 2010, MOCA Bangkok, 165cm x 300cm. For "Fantasy Land II" gives concrete benchmarks: 2010, MOCA Bangkok, 165cm x 300cm. For "Fantasy Land II", this dialogue between story and surface gives it a presence that goes far beyond its immediate subject.

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Vessantara Jataka: The Gift, painting by anonymous Thai artist #38
Anonymous Thai artist

Vessantara Jataka: The Don

Date19th centuryCollectionWalters Art Museum, Baltimore

"Vessantara Jataka: The Gift" has this generous density where each character seems to have something to do, sometimes even more than expected. In "Vessantara Jataka: The Gift", Prince Vessantara's story tests generosity, separation and return; gestures make these moral choices immediately visible. The notice of "Vessantara Jataka: The Gift" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. The instructions for "Vessantara Jataka: The Gift" give concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Gift" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Gift" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Gift" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Gift" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Gift" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka

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Journey to the Next World IV: Journey by Sea, painting by Prateep Kochabua #39
Prateep Kochabua

Journey to the Next World IV: Journey by Sea

Date2007CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat160cm x 260cm

In "Journey to the Next World IV: Journey by Sea", the hierarchy of sizes and positions makes the episode understandable before even knowing all the names. In "Journey to the Next World IV: Journey by Sea", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has many details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Journey to the Next World IV: Journey by Sea" give concrete benchmarks: 2007, MOCA Bangkok, 160cm x 260cm. For "Journey to the Next World IV: Journey by Sea" give concrete benchmarks: 2007, MOCA Bangkok, 160cm x 260cm. For "Journey to the Next World IV: Journey by Sea" give concrete benchmarks: 2007, MOCA Bangkok, 160cm x 260cm. For "Journey to the Next World IV: Journey by Sea" give concrete benchmarks: 2007, MOCA Bangkok, 160cm x 260cm. For "Journey to the Next World IV: Journey by Sea" give concrete benchmarks: 2007, MOCA Bangkok, 160cm x 260cm.

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Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children, painting by anonymous Thai artist #40
Anonymous Thai artist

Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children

Date19th centuryCollectionWalters Art Museum, Baltimore

"Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children" combines precision of drawing and freedom of story in a surface that remains alive at all distances. In "Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children", Prince Vessantara's story tests generosity, separation and return; gestures make these moral choices immediately visible. The notice of "Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Royal Children" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "V

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Dream Land II, painting by Prateep Kochabua #41
Prateep Kochabua

Dream Land II

Date2009CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat150cm x 300cm

The scene of "Dream Land II" advances through looks, hands, animals and architecture, with a sense of movement that does not depend on noise. In "Dream Land II", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has many details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Dream Land II" give a lot of details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Dream Land II" give concrete benchmarks: 2009, MOCA Bangkok, 150cm x 300cm. For "Dream Land II", its singularity comes precisely from this mixture between codified framework and freedom in details.

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Journey to the Next World VIII, painting by Prateep Kochabua #42
Prateep Kochabua

Journey to the Next World VIII

Date2011CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat165cm x 270cm

"Journey to the Next World VIII" gives an immediate presence to the religious or epic world it represents, without reducing it to a simple illustration. In "Journey to the Next World VIII", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has a lot of details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Journey to the Next World VIII" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 165cm x 270cm. For "Journey to the Next World VIII" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 165cm x 270cm. For "Journey to the Next World VIII" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 165cm x 270cm. For "Journey to the Next World VIII" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 165cm x 270cm. For "Journey to the Next World VIII" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 165cm x 270cm. For "Journey to the Next World VIII" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOC

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Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi, painting by anonymous Thai artist #43
Anonymous Thai artist

Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi

Date19th centuryCollectionWalters Art Museum, Baltimore

In "Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi", the repeated patterns build the rhythm while the gaps give each episode its particular emphasis. In "Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi", Prince Vessantara's story tests generosity, separation and return; gestures make these moral choices immediately visible. The notice of "Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Return of Maddi" gives concrete benchmarks:

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A Tale from Ko Samet, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #44
Somphong Adulyasarapan

A Tale from Ko Samet

Date2005CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat84cm x 150cm

"A Tale from Ko Samet" knows how to fill space without suffocating it, an appreciable skill in a palace or on a screen. In "A Tale from Ko Samet", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The notice of "A Tale from Ko Samet" gives concrete benchmarks: 2005, MOCA Bangkok, 84cm x 150cm. For "A Tale from Ko Samet", the painting therefore retains a double life: document of its time and visual experience still active.

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Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra, painting by Anonymous Thai Artist #45
Anonymous Thai artist

Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra

Date19th centuryCollectionWalters Art Museum, Baltimore

The color of "Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra" distributes roles as surely as costumes, postures and attributes. In "Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra", Prince Vessantara's story tests generosity, separation and return; gestures make these moral choices immediately visible. The notice of "Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. For "Vessantara Jataka: The Kingdom of Indra" gives concrete benchmarks: 19

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Played by Girl, painting by Prateep Kochabua #46
Prateep Kochabua

Played by Girl

Date2005CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat90cm x 120cm

"Played by Girl" combines sacred narrative and everyday observation, so that a familiar detail can suddenly carry a huge idea. In "Played by Girl", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has a lot of details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Played by Girl" give concrete benchmarks: 2005, MOCA Bangkok, 90cm x 120cm. For "Played by Girl", the result remains alive because the story never erases the material or the pleasure of looking.

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Delight, painting by Prateep Kochabua #47
Prateep Kochabua

Delight

Date2013CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat150cm x 100cm

In "Delight", ornament does not come after the story: it contributes to its speed, its solemnity and sometimes its humor. In "Delight", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has many details and no desire to remain discreet. The "Delight" notice gives many details and no desire to remain discreet. The "Delight" instructions give concrete benchmarks: 2013, MOCA Bangkok, 150cm x 100cm. For "Delight", this dialogue between story and surface gives it a presence that goes far beyond its immediate subject.

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Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell, painting by Anonymous Thai Artist #48
Anonymous Thai artist

Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell

Date19th centuryCollectionWellcome Collection, London

"Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell" transforms the wall, the canvas or the page into a space that the gaze travels through rather than into an image consumed in one go. In "Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell", the Phra Malai cycle connects spiritual journey, paradise, hell and Buddhist merit in pages where text and image progress together. The notice of "Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Phra Malai in front of a scene from hell" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Ph

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Immersed in the Moon, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #49
Somphong Adulyasarapan

Immersed in the Moon

Date2011CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat90cm x 100cm

The narrative of "Immersed in the Moon" remains clear despite the richness of the details, proof that a well-painted crowd can be better organized than a queue. In "Immersed in the Moon", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The notice of "Immersed in the Moon" gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 90cm x 100cm. For "Immersed in the Moon", this tension between religious function and visual invention explains its lasting strength.

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The poor lumberjack picks lotuses, painting by anonymous Thai artist #50
Anonymous Thai artist

The poor lumberjack picks lotuses

Date19th centuryCollectionWellcome Collection, London

"The poor lumberjack picks lotuses" brings together movement, symbol and decor in a composition whose order is revealed little by little. In "The Poor Lumberjack Picks Lotuses", the Phra Malai cycle connects spiritual journey, paradise, hell and Buddhist merit in pages where text and image progress together. The notice of "The poor lumberjack picks lotuses" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The poor lumberjack picks lotuses" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The poor lumberjack picks lotuses" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The poor lumberjack picks lotuses" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The poor lumberjack picks lotuses" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The poor lumberjack picks lotuses" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The poor lumberjack picks lotuses", its strength lies as much in its historical value as in the way the image remains readable today.

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III
Thai modernities

Surrealism, abstraction, portraiture and landscape show several ways to be modern without losing the local accent.

Two-Dimensional Village, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #51
Somphong Adulyasarapan

Two-Dimensional Village

Date2013CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat195cm x 280cm

"Two-Dimensional Village" first attracts with its color, then catches the eye with a narration that can be read almost gesture after gesture. In "Two-Dimensional Village", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The instructions for "Two-Dimensional Village" give concrete benchmarks: 2013, MOCA Bangkok, 195cm x 280cm. For "Two-Dimensional Village", its singularity comes precisely from this mixture between codified framework and freedom in details.

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A Land Where Life is Found, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #52
Somphong Adulyasarapan

A Land Where Life is Found

Date2009CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat271.5cm x 187.5cm

In "A Land Where Life is Found", the painted space becomes an active scene where architecture, figures and ornaments advance at the same pace. In "A Land Where Life is Found", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The notice of "A Land Where Life is Found" gives concrete benchmarks: 2009, MOCA Bangkok, 271.5cm x 187.5cm. For "A Land Where Life is Found", we come back to it for the episode, then we stay for the details which had discreetly prepared their move.

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Phra Malai converses with Indra, painting by Anonymous Thai Artist #53
Anonymous Thai artist

Phra Malai converses with Indra

Date19th centuryCollectionWellcome Collection, London

"Phra Malai converse with Indra" never really separates the story from the setting: each outline helps the story find its place. In "Phra Malai converse with Indra", the Phra Malai cycle connects spiritual journey, paradise, hell and Buddhist merit in pages where text and image progress together. The instructions for "Phra Malai converse with Indra" give concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Phra Malai converse with Indra" provide concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Phra Malai converse with Indra" provide concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Phra Malai converse with Indra" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Phra Malai converse with Indra", the work thus recalls that Thai painting tells with line as much as with the characters.

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Rainbow-Colored Fantasy, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #54
Somphong Adulyasarapan

Rainbow-Colored Fantasy

Date2011CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat190cm x 140cm

The composition of "Rainbow-Colored Fantasy" organizes a host of details without losing the main thread, which prevents the eye from asking for directions. In "Rainbow-Colored Fantasy", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The instructions for "Rainbow-Colored Fantasy" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 190cm x 140cm. For "Rainbow-Colored Fantasy", the painting therefore retains a double life: document of its time and visual experience always active.

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Bodhisattva in heaven accompanied by angels, painting by anonymous Thai artist #55
Anonymous Thai artist

Bodhisattva in heaven accompanied by angels

Date19th centuryCollectionWellcome Collection, London

With "Bodhisattva in Heaven Accompanied by Angels", Thai painting transforms a precise scene into lasting visual memory. In "Bodhisattva in Heaven Accompanied by Angels", an anonymous Thai artist organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice of "Bodhisattva in Heaven Accompanied by Angels" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Bodhisattva in Heaven Accompanied by Angels" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Bodhisattva in Heaven Accompanied by Angels" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Bodhisattva in Heaven Accompanied by Angels", the image thus gains depth without losing the clarity which makes it immediately memorable.

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The Land of Dreams, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #56
Somphong Adulyasarapan

The Land of Dreams

Date1995CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat126cm x 145cm

"The Land of Dreams" is discovered in layers: action first, signs later, then tiny finds left in the margins. In "The Land of Dreams", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The instructions for "The Land of Dreams" give concrete benchmarks: 1995, MOCA Bangkok, 126cm x 145cm. For "The Land of Dreams", the result remains alive because the story never erases the material or the pleasure of watching.

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Luang Ta Ma (Traditional Thai Music), painting by Prateep Kochabua #57
Prateep Kochabua

Luang Ta Ma (Traditional Thai Music)

Date2002CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat156cm x 176cm

In "Luang Ta Ma (Traditional Thai Music)", the flat areas, lines and changes of scale give the story a very concrete energy. In "Luang Ta Ma (Traditional Thai Music)", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has many details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Luang Ta Ma (Traditional Thai Music)" give concrete benchmarks: 2002, MOCA Bangkok, 156cm x 176cm. For "Luang Ta Ma (Traditional Thai Music)", this dialogue between story and surface gives it a presence that goes far beyond its immediate subject.

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The Thorny Tree of Hell, painting by anonymous Thai artist #58
Anonymous Thai artist

The Thorny Tree of Hell

Date19th centuryCollectionWellcome Collection, London

"The Thorny Tree of Hell" shows that an image can be at once devotion, chronicle and pleasure of detail without becoming an endless meeting. In "The Thorny Tree of Hell", the Phra Malai cycle connects spiritual journey, paradise, hell and Buddhist merit in pages where text and image progress together. The notice of "The Thorny Tree of Hell" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The Thorny Tree of Hell" provides concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The Thorny Tree of Hell" provides concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The Thorny Tree of Hell" provides concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The Thorny Tree of Hell" provides concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The Thorny Tree of Hell" provides concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The Thorny Tree of Hell" provides concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The Thorny Tree of Hell" provides concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The Thorny Tree of Hell" provides concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "The Thorny Tree of Hell", it offers a useful milestone for understanding how the Siamese workshops adapted texts, rites and observation of

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A Land of Mobility, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #59
Somphong Adulyasarapan

A Land of Mobility

Date1992CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat51cm x 143cm

The first look captures the episode of "A Land of Mobility"; the second notices how gestures and colors regulate the tempo. In "A Land of Mobility", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The notice from "A Land of Mobility" gives concrete benchmarks: 1992, MOCA Bangkok, 51cm x 143cm. For "A Land of Mobility", this tension between religious function and visual invention explains its lasting strength.

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Candakumara's Jataka and the intervention of Indra, painting by anonymous Thai artist #60
Anonymous Thai artist

Candakumara's Jataka and Indra's intervention

Date19th centuryCollectionWellcome Collection, London

"Candakumara's Jataka and Indra's intervention" circulates the eye between main figures and secondary scenes like a story that knows its shortcuts perfectly. In "Candakumara's Jataka and Indra's Intervention", the Phra Malai cycle connects spiritual journey, paradise, hell and Buddhist merit in pages where text and image progress together. The notice of "Candakumara's Jataka and Indra's intervention" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Candakumara's Jataka and Indra's Intervention" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Candakumara's Jataka and Indra's Intervention" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Candakumara's Jataka and Indra's Intervention" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Candakumara's Jataka and Indra's Intervention" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Candakumara's Jataka and Indra's Intervention" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For "Candakumara's Jataka and Indra's Intervention" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wellcome Collection, London. For

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When Humans Ignore Art, painting by Prateep Kochabua #61
Prateep Kochabua

When Humans Ignore Art

Date2003CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat120cm x 150cm

In "When Humans Ignore Art", the setting does not enclose the story: it gives it direction, pauses and a few well-chosen detours. In "When Humans Ignore Art", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has many details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "When Humans Ignore Art" give concrete benchmarks: 2003, MOCA Bangkok, 120cm x 150cm. For "When Humans Ignore Art" give concrete benchmarks: 2003, MOCA Bangkok, 120cm x 150cm. For "When Humans Ignore Art", its singularity comes precisely from this mixture between codified framework and freedom in details.

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Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha, painting by Chalermchai Kositpipat #62
Chalermchai Kositpipat

Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha

Date1994CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat65cm x 90cm

The strength of "Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha" comes from its balance between narrative readability and decorative profusion. In "Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha", chalermchai Kositpipat combines Buddhist iconography, virtuoso drawing and visionary space; tradition does not serve as a decorative background, it becomes the driving force of the image. The notice of "Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha" gives concrete benchmarks: 1994, MOCA Bangkok, 65cm x 90cm. For "Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha" gives concrete benchmarks: 1994, MOCA Bangkok, 65cm x 90cm. For "Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha" gives concrete benchmarks: 1994, MOCA Bangkok, 65cm x 90cm. For "Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha" gives concrete benchmarks: 1994, MOCA Bangkok, 65cm x 90cm. For "Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha" gives concrete benchmarks: 1994, MOCA Bangkok, 65cm x 90cm. For "Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha" gives concrete benchmarks: 1994, MOCA Bangkok, 65cm x 90cm. For "Clairvoyant in the Land of Lord Buddha", we come back to it for the episode, then we stay for the

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Ramakien, panel 29 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew, painting by Royal Workshops of Bangkok #63
Royal workshops in Bangkok

Ramakien, panel 29 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew

Dateend of the 18th century, since restoredCollectionWat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

"Ramakien, panel 29 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" has this generous density where each character seems to have something to do, sometimes even more than expected. In "Ramakien, panel 29 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The instructions for "Ramakien, panel 29 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The notice for "Ramakien, panel 29 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete references: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 29 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete references: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 29 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete references: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 29 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete references: end of the

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Scarecrow's Dream, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #64
Somphong Adulyasarapan

Scarecrow's Dream

Date1996CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat81cm x 104.5cm

In "Scarecrow's Dream", the hierarchy of sizes and positions makes the episode understandable before even knowing all the names. In "Scarecrow's Dream", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The instructions for "Scarecrow's Dream" give concrete benchmarks: 1996, MOCA Bangkok, 81cm x 104.5cm. For "Scarecrow's Dream", the painting therefore retains a double life: document of its time and visual experience still active.

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Ramakien, panel 40 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew, painting by Royal Workshops of Bangkok #65
Royal workshops in Bangkok

Ramakien, panel 40 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew

Dateend of the 18th century, since restoredCollectionWat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

"Ramakien, panel 40 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" combines precision of drawing and freedom of story in a surface that remains alive at all distances. In "Ramakien, panel 40 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The instructions for "Ramakien, panel 40 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The notice for "Ramakien, panel 40 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete benchmarks: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 40 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete references: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 40 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete references: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 40 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete references: end of the 1

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The Last Rainbow Fish, painting by Somphong Adulyasarapan #66
Somphong Adulyasarapan

The Last Rainbow Fish

Date2001CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat60cm x 160cm

The scene of "The Last Rainbow Fish" advances through looks, hands, animals and architecture, with a sense of movement that does not depend on noise. In "The Last Rainbow Fish", somphong Adulyasaraphan transforms ecological concerns and rural imagination into surreal worlds where each metamorphosis carries a concrete idea. The instructions for "The Last Rainbow Fish" give concrete benchmarks: 2001, MOCA Bangkok, 60cm x 160cm. For "The Last Rainbow Fish", the result remains alive because the story never erases the material or the pleasure of watching.

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Mother Earth, painting by Prateep Kochabua #67
Prateep Kochabua

Mother Earth

Date2011CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat200cm x 130cm

"Mother Earth" gives an immediate presence to the religious or epic world it represents, without reducing it to a simple illustration. In "Mother Earth", prateep Kochabua constructs a Thai surrealism populated by myths, bodies, animals and memories; the dream has many details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Mother Earth" give many details and no desire to remain discreet. The instructions for "Mother Earth" give concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 200cm x 130cm. For "Mother Earth", this dialogue between story and surface gives it a presence that goes far beyond its immediate subject.

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Ramakien, panel 90 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew, painting by Royal Workshops of Bangkok #68
Royal workshops in Bangkok

Ramakien, panel 90 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew

Dateend of the 18th century, since restoredCollectionWat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

In "Ramakien, panel 90 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the repeated patterns build the rhythm while the gaps give each episode its particular emphasis. In "Ramakien, panel 90 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The notice of "Ramakien, panel 90 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The notice of "Ramakien, panel 90 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete benchmarks: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 90 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete benchmarks: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 90 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete benchmarks: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 90 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete benchmarks: end of the 18

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Mahabhinishkramana, painting by Thongchai Srisukprasert #69
Thongchai Srisukprasert

Mahabhinishkramana

Date2008CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat125cm x 175cm

"Mahabhinishkramana" knows how to fill space without suffocating it, an appreciable skill in a palace or on a screen. In "Mahabhinishkramana", thongchai Srisukprasert combines painting, collage and Buddhist iconography to make visible awakening, renunciation and the cycles of existence. The notice of "Mahabhinishkramana" gives concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 125cm x 175cm. The notice of "Mahabhinishkramana" gives concrete benchmarks: 2008, MOCA Bangkok, 125cm x 175cm. For "Mahabhinishkramana", this tension between religious function and visual invention explains its lasting strength.

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Ramakien, panel 100 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew, painting by Royal Workshops of Bangkok #70
Royal workshops in Bangkok

Ramakien, panel 100 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew

Dateend of the 18th century, since restoredCollectionWat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

The color of "Ramakien, panel 100 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" distributes roles as surely as costumes, postures and attributes. In "Ramakien, panel 100 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The notice of "Ramakien, panel 100 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The notice of "Ramakien, panel 100 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete benchmarks: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 100 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete references: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 100 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete references: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 100 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" gives concrete references: end

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Transiency, painting by Thongchai Srisukprasert #71
Thongchai Srisukprasert

Transiency

Date2011CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat125cm x 175cm

"Transiency" combines sacred narrative and observation of everyday life, so that a familiar detail can suddenly carry an immense idea. In "Transiency", thongchai Srisukprasert combines painting, collage and Buddhist iconography to make visible the awakening, renunciation and cycles of existence. The "Transiency" notice gives concrete benchmarks: 2011, MOCA Bangkok, 125cm x 175cm. For "Transiency", its singularity comes precisely from this mixture between codified framework and freedom in details.

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Logiyadhamma 1, painting by Thongchai Srisukprasert #72
Thongchai Srisukprasert

Logiyadhamma 1

Date2012CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat283cm x 283cm

In "Logyadhamma 1", the ornament does not come after the story: it contributes to its speed, its solemnity and sometimes its humor. In "Logyadhamma 1", thongchai Srisukprasert combines painting, collage and Buddhist iconography to make visible the awakening, renunciation and cycles of existence. The instructions for "Logyadhamma 1" give concrete benchmarks: 2012, MOCA Bangkok, 283cm x 283cm. For "Logyadhamma 1" give concrete benchmarks: 2012, MOCA Bangkok, 283cm x 283cm. For "Logyadhamma 1" give concrete benchmarks: 2012, MOCA Bangkok, 283cm x 283cm. For "Logyadhamma 1" gives concrete benchmarks: 2012, MOCA Bangkok, 283cm x 283cm. For "Logyadhamma 1" gives concrete benchmarks: 2012, MOCA Bangkok, 283cm x 283cm. For "Logyadhamma 1" gives concrete benchmarks: 2012, MOCA Bangkok, 283cm x 283cm. For "Logyadhamma 1", we come back to it for the episode, then we stay for the details which had discreetly prepared their move

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Ramakien, panel 150 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew, painting by Royal Workshops of Bangkok #73
Royal workshops in Bangkok

Ramakien, panel 150 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew

Dateend of the 18th century, since restoredCollectionWat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

"Ramakien, panel 150 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" transforms the wall, the canvas or the page into a space that the eye travels through rather than into an image consumed in one go. In "Ramakien, panel 150 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The instructions for "Ramakien, panel 150 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew", the episode belongs to the Ramakien: armies, palaces and heroic figures are distributed in rapid sequences, while Hanuman often brings as much momentum as mischief. The instructions for "Ramakien, panel 150 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" give concrete references: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 150 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" give concrete references: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 150 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" give concrete references: end of the 18th century, since restored, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. For "Ramakien, panel 150 of the cloister of Wat Phra Kaew" give concrete references:

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Circle has no End, painting by Thongchai Srisukprasert #74
Thongchai Srisukprasert

Circle has no End

Date2012CollectionMOCA BangkokFormat176cm x 176cm

The narration of "Circle has no End" remains clear despite the richness of the details, proof that a well-painted crowd can be better organized than a queue. In "Circle has no End", thongchai Srisukprasert combines painting, collage and Buddhist iconography to make visible the awakening, renunciation and cycles of existence. The notice of "Circle has no End" gives concrete benchmarks: 2012, MOCA Bangkok, 176cm x 176cm. For "Circle has no End", the painting therefore retains a double life: document of its time and visual experience still active.

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Offerings in front of the courtyard, painting by Ateliers de Wat Suthat #75
Wat Suthat workshops

Offerings in court

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Suthat, Bangkok

"Offerings in front of the court" brings together movement, symbol and decor in a composition whose order is revealed little by little. In "Offerings in front of the court", Wat Suthat's workshops organize the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice of "Offerings in front of the court" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suthat, Bangkok. For "Offerings in front of the court", the image thus gains depth without losing the clarity which makes it immediately memorable.

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IV
Legacies and new voices

The last rows widen the route, but each work must remain identified, museum-like and truly distinct.

Scene of Construction No.1, painting by Pichet Burapathanin #76
Burapathanin pitcher

Scene of Construction No.1

Date2007CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

"Scene of Construction No.1" first attracts with its color, then catches the eye with a narration that can be read almost gesture after gesture. In "Scene of Construction No.1", pitcher Burapathanin organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "Scene of Construction No.1" give concrete benchmarks: 2007, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Scene of Construction No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 2007, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Scene of Construction No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 2007, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Scene of Construction No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 2007, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Scene of Construction No.1", the result remains alive because the story never erases the material or the pleasure of looking.

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Impression of Art in the Past No.1, painting by Praiwan Dakliang #77
Praiwan Dakliang

Impression of Art in the Past No.1

Date1986CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

In "Impression of Art in the Past No.1", the painted space becomes an active scene where architecture, figures and ornaments advance at the same pace. In "Impression of Art in the Past No.1", Praiwan Dakliang organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice of "Impression of Art in the Past No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 1986, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Impression of Art in the Past No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 1986, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Impression of Art in the Past No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 1986, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Impression of Art in the Past No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 1986, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Impression of Art in the Past No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 1986, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Impression of Art in the Past No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 1986, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Impression of Art in the Past No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 1986, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Impression of Art in the Past No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 1986, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Impression of Art in the

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On the back of an elephant, painting by Ateliers de Wat Suthat #78
Wat Suthat workshops

On the back of an elephant

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Suthat, Bangkok

"On the back of an elephant" never really separates the story from the setting: each outline helps the story find its place. In "On the Back of an Elephant", Wat Suthat's workshops organize the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "On the Back of an Elephant" give concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suthat, Bangkok. For "On the Back of an Elephant" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suthat, Bangkok. For "On the Back of an Elephant" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suthat, Bangkok. For "On the Back of an Elephant", it offers a useful milestone for understanding how the Siamese workshops adapted texts, rites and observation of the world.

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The Past No.2, painting by Praiwan Dakliang #79
Praiwan Dakliang

The Past No.2

Date1981CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

The composition of "The Past No.2" organizes a host of details without losing the main thread, which prevents the eye from asking for directions. In "The Past No.2", Praiwan Dakliang organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "The Past No.2" give concrete benchmarks: 1981, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "The Past No.2" provides concrete benchmarks: 1981, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "The Past No.2", this tension between religious function and visual invention explains its lasting strength.

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Court Musicians, painting by Ateliers de Wat Suthat #80
Wat Suthat workshops

Court musicians

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Suthat, Bangkok

With "The Court Musicians", Thai painting transforms a precise scene into lasting visual memory. In "The Court Musicians", Wat Suthat's workshops organize the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice of "The Court Musicians" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suthat, Bangkok. For "The Court Musicians", its strength lies as much in its historical value as in the way the image remains readable today.

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Perceptless, painting by Anupong Chantorn #81
Anupong Chantorn

Perceptless

Date2007CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

"Perceptless" is discovered in layers: action first, signs later, then tiny finds left in the margins. In "Perceptless", anupong Chantorn organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "Perceptless" give concrete benchmarks: 2007, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Perceptless", its singularity comes precisely from this mixture between codified framework and freedom in details.

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Reflection No.1, painting by Amrit Chusuwan #82
Amrit Chusuwan

Reflection No.1

Date1984CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

In "Reflection No.1", the flat areas, lines and changes of scale give the story a very concrete energy. In "Reflection No.1", Amrit Chusuwan organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The "Reflection No.1" notice gives concrete benchmarks: 1984, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Reflection No.1" gives concrete benchmarks: 1984, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Reflection No.1", we come back to it for the episode, then we stay for the details which had discreetly prepared their move.

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Indra on the elephant Airavata, painting by Ateliers de Wat Suthat #83
Wat Suthat workshops

Indra on the elephant Airavata

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Suthat, Bangkok

"Indra on the Elephant Airavata" shows that an image can be at once devotion, chronicle and pleasure of detail without becoming an endless reunion. In "Indra on the Elephant Airavata", the Phra Malai cycle connects spiritual journey, paradise, hell and Buddhist merit in pages where text and image progress together. The notice of "Indra on the elephant Airavata" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suthat, Bangkok. For "Indra on the elephant Airavata", the work thus recalls that Thai painting tells with the line as much as with the characters.

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Serenity, painting by Surasit Saokong #84
Surasit Saokong

Serenity

Date1981CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

The first look captures the episode of "Serenity"; the second notices how gestures and colors regulate the tempo. In "Serenity", surasit Saokong organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice from "Serenity" gives concrete benchmarks: 1981, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Serenity", the painting therefore retains a double life: document of its time and visual experience still active.

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The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet, painting by Ateliers de Wat Bowonniwet #85
Wat Bowonniwet workshops

The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Bowonniwet, Bangkok

"The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet" circulates the eye between main figures and secondary scenes like a story that knows its shortcuts perfectly. In "The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet", at Wat Bowonniwet, the Chinese story of the Three Kingdoms is adapted to Thai mural painting, with battles, processions and carefully distributed architecture. The notice of "The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete references: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete references: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete references: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete references: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete references: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete references: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 1 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete references: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel

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Life and Time No.2, painting by Kiettisak Chanonnart #86
Kiettisak Chanonnart

Life and Time No.2

Date1993CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

In "Life and Time No.2", the setting does not enclose the story: it gives it direction, pauses and a few well-chosen detours. In "Life and Time No.2", Kiettisak Chanonnart organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "Life and Time No.2" give concrete benchmarks: 1993, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Life and Time No.2" gives concrete benchmarks: 1993, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Life and Time No.2" gives concrete benchmarks: 1993, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Life and Time No.2" gives concrete benchmarks: 1993, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Life and Time No.2" gives concrete benchmarks: 1993, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Life and Time No.2" gives concrete benchmarks: 1993, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Life and Time No.2" gives concrete benchmarks: 1993, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Life and Time No.2", the result remains alive because the story never erases the material or the pleasure of looking.

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Beside My Home No.9, painting by Surapong Somsook #87
Surapong Somsook

Beside My Home No.9

Date1994CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

The strength of "Beside My Home No.9" comes from its balance between narrative readability and decorative profusion. In "Beside My Home No.9", surapong Somsook organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "Beside My Home No.9" give concrete benchmarks: 1994, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Beside My Home No.9", this dialogue between story and surface gives it a presence that goes far beyond its immediate subject.

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The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet, painting by Ateliers de Wat Bowonniwet #88
Wat Bowonniwet workshops

The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Bowonniwet, Bangkok

"The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet" has this generous density where each character seems to have something to do, sometimes even more than expected. In "The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet", at Wat Bowonniwet, the Chinese story of the Three Kingdoms is adapted to Thai mural painting, with battles, processions and carefully distributed architecture. The notice of "The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel 3 by Wat Bowonniwet" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok. For "The Three Kingdoms, panel

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Soul of Human, painting by Thaweesak Srithongdee #89
Thaweesak Srithongdee

Soul of Human

Date1995CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

In "Soul of Human", the hierarchy of sizes and positions makes the episode understandable before even knowing all the names. In "Soul of Human", thaweesak Srithongdee organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "Soul of Human" give concrete benchmarks: 1995, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Soul of Human", this tension between religious function and visual invention explains its lasting strength.

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Wall cycle by Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam, scene 4, painting by Anonymous Siamese Artist #90
Anonymous Siamese artist

Wall cycle by Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam, scene 4

Datelate Ayutthaya periodCollectionWat Ko Kaeo Suttharam, Phetchaburi

"Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam wall cycle, scene 4" combines precision of drawing and freedom of story in a surface that remains alive at all distances. In "Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam wall cycle, scene 4", the decor of the temple retains its primary role here: to accompany the ritual journey while offering a painted chronicle of the clothes, buildings and gestures of its time. The notice of "Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam wall cycle, scene 4", the decor of the temple retains its primary role here: to accompany the ritual journey while offering a painted chronicle of the clothes, buildings and gestures of its time. The notice of "Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam wall cycle, scene 4" gives concrete benchmarks: late Ayutthaya era, Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam, scene 4" gives concrete benchmarks: late Ayutthaya era, Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam, scene 4" gives concrete benchmarks: late Ayutthaya era, Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam, scene 4" gives concrete benchmarks: late Ayutthaya era, Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam, scene 4" gives concrete benchmarks: late Ayutthaya era, Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam, scene 4" gives concrete benchmarks: late Ayutthaya era, Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam, scene 4" gives concrete benchmarks: late Ayutthaya era, Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam, scene 4" gives concrete benchmarks:

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Symbol (Five), painting by Parinya Tantisuk #91
Parinya Tantisuk

Symbol (Five)

Date1998CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

The scene of "Symbol (Five)" advances through looks, hands, animals and architecture, with a sense of movement that does not depend on noise. In "Symbol (Five)", Parinya Tantisuk organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "Symbol (Five)" give concrete benchmarks: 1998, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Symbol (Five)", its singularity comes precisely from this mixture between codified framework and freedom in details.

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Calmness, painting by Surasit Saokong #92
Surasit Saokong

Calmness

Date1986CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

"Calmness" gives an immediate presence to the religious or epic world it represents, without reducing it to a simple illustration. In "Calmness", Surasit Saokong organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The "Calmness" notice gives concrete benchmarks: 1986, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Calmness", we come back to it for the episode, then we stay for the details which had discreetly prepared their move.

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The Vessantara Jataka at Wat Suwannaram, painting by Ateliers de Wat Suwannaram #93
Wat Suwannaram workshops

The Vessantara Jataka at Wat Suwannaram

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Suwannaram, Bangkok

In "The Vessantara Jataka at Wat Suwannaram", the repeated patterns build the rhythm while the gaps give each episode its particular emphasis. In "The Vessantara Jataka at Wat Suwannaram", Prince Vessantara's story tests generosity, separation and return; gestures make these moral choices immediately visible. The notice of "The Vessantara Jataka at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suwannaram, Bangkok. For "The Vessantara Jataka at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suwannaram, Bangkok. For "The Vessantara Jataka at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suwannaram, Bangkok. For "The Vessantara Jataka at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suwannaram, Bangkok. For "The Vessantara Jataka at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suwannaram, Bangkok. For "The Vessantara Jataka at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century,

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Girl with Man and Woman in the Past, painting by Weerasak Sutsadee #94
Weerasak Sutsadee

Girl with Man and Woman in the Past

Date2006CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

"Girl with Man and Woman in the Past" knows how to fill space without suffocating it, an appreciable skill in a palace or on a screen. In "Girl with Man and Woman in the Past", weerasak Sutsadee organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice of "Girl with Man and Woman in the Past" gives concrete benchmarks: 2006, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Girl with Man and Woman in the Past", the painting therefore retains a double life: document of its time and visual experience still active.

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The Buddha and the faithful at Wat Suwannaram, painting by Ateliers de Wat Suwannaram #95
Wat Suwannaram workshops

The Buddha and the faithful at Wat Suwannaram

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Suwannaram, Bangkok

The color of "The Buddha and the Faithful at Wat Suwannaram" distributes roles as surely as costumes, postures and attributes. In "The Buddha and the Faithful at Wat Suwannaram", the figure of the Buddha controls the axis of the composition; expectations, flames, lotuses and secondary registers make a spiritual hierarchy visible. The notice of "The Buddha and the faithful at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suwannaram, Bangkok. For "The Buddha and the faithful at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suwannaram, Bangkok. For "The Buddha and the faithful at Wat Suwannaram", the image thus gains depth without losing the clarity which makes it immediately memorable.

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Life - Truth, painting by Kiettisak Chanonnart #96
Kiettisak Chanonnart

Life - Truth

Date1994CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

"Life - Truth" combines sacred narrative and everyday observation, so that a familiar detail can suddenly carry a huge idea. In "Life - Truth", Kiettisak Chanonnart organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The notice from "Life - Truth" gives concrete benchmarks: 1994, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Life - Truth", the result remains alive because the story never erases the material or the pleasure of looking.

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Dancing in Silence, painting by Prasong Luemuang #97
Prasong Luemuang

Dancing in Silence

Date1987CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

In "Dancing in Silence", ornament does not come after history: it contributes to its speed, its solemnity and sometimes its humor. In "Dancing in Silence", prasong Luemuang belongs to the generations distinguished by the National Art Exhibitions; composition, color and local experience build a solidly Thai modernity. The notice of "Dancing in Silence" gives concrete benchmarks: 1987, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Dancing in Silence", this dialogue between story and surface gives it a presence that goes far beyond its immediate subject.

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Court scene at Wat Suwannaram, painting by Ateliers de Wat Suwannaram #98
Wat Suwannaram workshops

Court scene at Wat Suwannaram

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Suwannaram, Bangkok

"Court scene at Wat Suwannaram" transforms the wall, the canvas or the page into a space that the eye travels through rather than into an image consumed in one go. In "Court scene at Wat Suwannaram", the decor of the temple retains its primary role here: to accompany the ritual journey while offering a painted chronicle of the clothes, buildings and gestures of its time. The notice of "Court scene at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suwannaram, Bangkok. For "Court scene at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suwannaram, Bangkok. For "Court scene at Wat Suwannaram", it offers a useful milestone for understanding how the Siamese workshops adapted texts, rites and observation of the world.

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Ghost Family, painting by Weerasak Sutsadee #99
Weerasak Sutsadee

Ghost Family

Date2009CollectionArt Center Silpakorn University

The narrative of "Ghost Family" remains clear despite the richness of the details, proof that a well-painted crowd can be better organized than a queue. In "Ghost Family", weerasak Sutsadee organizes the image according to a pictorial logic where color, rhythm, material and Thai references work together. The instructions for "Ghost Family" give concrete benchmarks: 2009, Art Center Silpakorn University. For "Ghost Family", this tension between religious function and visual invention explains its lasting strength.

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Celestial assembly at Wat Suwannaram, painting by Ateliers de Wat Suwannaram #100
Wat Suwannaram workshops

Heavenly Assembly at Wat Suwannaram

Date19th centuryCollectionWat Suwannaram, Bangkok

"Heavenly Assembly at Wat Suwannaram" brings together movement, symbol and decor in a composition whose order is gradually revealed. In "Heavenly Assembly at Wat Suwannaram", the decor of the temple retains its primary role here: to accompany the ritual journey while offering a painted chronicle of the clothes, buildings and gestures of its time. The notice of "Heavenly Assembly at Wat Suwannaram" gives concrete benchmarks: 19th century, Wat Suwannaram, Bangkok. For "Heavenly Assembly at Wat Suwannaram", its strength lies as much in its historical value as in the way the image remains readable today.

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What the ranking reveals

One hundred paintings, three criteria that count

The classification combines the strength of the work, the recognition of the artist and the authority of the museum. The availability of an image no longer brings a medal on its own.

01

The museum provides context

An institutional notice provides date, technique, dimensions, collection and history rather than a simple attractive legend.

02

The artist builds continuity

The works of recognized masters make it possible to follow the ruptures and loyalties of modern Thai painting.

03

The image must remain legal

A protected work can be classified and linked to its source; however, it does not become a free reproduction for sale.

A story in five points of reference

Five steps to get through the rankings

around 1867Wat Phumin whispers

Pu Man Ya Man becomes one of the country's most beloved historical images.

1943Silpakorn opens a school

The university founded around the teaching of Silpa Bhirasri structures several generations of modern painters.

1949The national competition

The first National Art Exhibition establishes a lasting place of recognition and conservation.

1978The National Gallery opens

The institution brings together Siamese tradition, modern painting and works by major artists.

2012The MOCA Bangkok

The private museum brings together a vast panorama of Thai painting from recent decades.

Thai painting in depth

From modern masters to historical images

MOCA Bangkok preserves an extensive collection of contemporary Thai painting. The rooms dedicated to Thawan Duchanee and the ensembles of Chalermchai Kositpipat, Prateep Kochabua, Somphong Adulyasaraphan and Panya Vijinthanasarn give the ranking its first core.

The National Gallery connects Siamese tradition with modern art. Its collections make it possible to place Fua Hariphitak, royal paintings and historical works in a continuity that images of temples alone could not tell.

The Silpakorn Art Center preserves the award-winning works at the National Art Exhibitions. Coconut Grove by Chalood Nimsamer, Hua Hin by Misiem Yipintsoi, the portraits of Chakrabhand Posayakrit or the landscapes of Tawee Nandakwang provide a simple and robust criterion: these works have been judged, awarded and preserved.

The BACC completes this panorama with courses devoted to national artists, notably Damrong Wong-Uparaj. The ranking can thus compare one major work to another, instead of aligning twenty anonymous variations from the same cycle.

Wat Phumin's Whisper of Love, the phra bot, some Jātaka and the Ramakien remain present. They do not disappear; they simply find a proportionate place in a history that continues well after the 19th century.

Each entry must bring together a distinct title, artist or strong attribution, institutional source, and legally usable image. A contemporary work can be cited and linked to its museum without automatically becoming a commercial reproduction; copyright is not a small cartel that is put behind the frame.

Four reading keys

How to read this new ranking

Museum, notoriety, price and visual singularity make it possible to distinguish an essential work from an image that is simply easy to find.

Museum

Check presence

A national or university collection weighs more than a gallery of results without provenance.

Artist

Measure recognition

National artist, major prize and museum exhibition reinforce the place of a work.

Work

Evaluate the singularity

Title, composition and history must clearly distinguish each entry from the ninety-nine others.

Rights

Separate see and reproduce

The link to a museum documents a work; a commercial license alone authorizes its copy on a product.

Frequently asked questions

Thai painting, museums and major artists

Some guidelines for understanding the classification, its sources and the difference between a work visible online and a royalty-free image.

Which artists dominate modern Thai painting?

Chalermchai Kositpipat, Thawan Duchanee, Fua Hariphitak, Chakrabhand Posayakrit, Panya Vijinthanasarn, Prateep Kochabua, Chalood Nimsamer and Damrong Wong-Uparaj are among the major references retained by museums and institutions.

What is Ramakien?

The Ramakien is the Thai national epic adapted from the Ramayana. Its episodes include Phra Ram, Sida, Thotsakan and Hanuman.

Where to see the Ramakien paintings?

The cloister of Wat Phra Kaew, within the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, preserves a monumental cycle of 178 panels dedicated to the Ramakien.

What do the Jātaka say?

The Jātaka recount the past lives of the Buddha. The Vessantara Jātaka, dedicated to the generosity of Prince Vessantara, is particularly present in Thai painting.

What is a phra bot?

A phra bot is a Buddhist banner or devotional painting, usually on textile, intended to be hung in a religious context.

Why are daily scenes found in temples?

Artists integrate their era into sacred stories. Clothing, architecture, trades and customs make the episodes accessible while documenting Siamese society.

Are all the hundred entries paintings?

Yes. The route brings together murals, panels, banners and painted manuscripts. Statues, buildings, documentary photographs and unpainted objects are excluded.

What sources allow these works to be verified?

The National Gallery of Thailand, MOCA Bangkok, the Art Center of Silpakorn, the Bangkok Art and Culture Center and direct museum records document the works, their dates and techniques.

The Top ends, the museums keep the doors open

One hundred paintings, several generations and finally real criteria

These 100 paintings tell a fairer story: temples and manuscripts rub shoulders with modern masters, national artists, award-winning works by Silpakorn and the large ensembles of MOCA Bangkok. The ranking gains in fame, diversity and precision; he loses a few numbered panels, which will probably recover with great dignity.

Visit the collections of MOCA Bangkok

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