February 2010 - National Museum Volunteers

Transcription

NEWS
National Museum Volunteers
Bangkok No. 2 February 2010
NATIONAL MUSEUM BANGKOK
The National Museum Volunteers (NMV), under the auspices of the Department of
Fine Arts, is a recipient of the
Thai National Heritage Preservation Award 1989, 2001 and
2004. The group is also a
Member of the Council of the
World Federation of Friends
of Museums.
Hours of Operation
Wednesday to Sunday:
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Monday and Tuesday:
Closed, except on public holidays
Thai New Year and 1 January:
Closed
Entrance fee: baht 200
NMV Library
The library is located at the rear of the
Museum grounds behind the Palace building.
Hours of opening:
Wednesdays: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Thursdays:
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Membership cards must be shown when
borrowing books.
E-mail: [email protected]
The National Museum Volunteers is an organization with
Thai and international members whose purpose is to
serve the National Museum
Bangkok
and
the
public
through a variety of activities.
Guided Tours
The NMV Newsletter
A monthly publication of the
National Museum Volunteers,
distributed free to members.
French:
Pre-Thai and Thai Art
Wednesday & Thursday
German:
Thai Art and Culture
Thursday
Time:
Meet at:
Fee:
Cover photo:
Celebrating Children’s
Day at the National
Museum
(photo by Fred Prager)
9:30 am
Museum ticket office
Free (Museum entrance fee must be paid.)
For information call:
Guide Chairperson (Guiding and Special tours):
Vacant
Tour Leaders:
English:
Lynda O’Callaghan
02 285
French:
Isabelle Depaty
02 261
Jean-Pierre Joly
02 271
German:
Barbara Frank
080 088
Japanese: Kumi Ishii
02 662
Naomi Nomoto
02 664
Printed by TR Enterprise Bangkok
Newsletter National Museum Volunteers
Thai Art, History and Buddhism
Wednesday & Thursday
Japanese: Thai History and Culture
1st & 2nd Wednesday of the month
Thai Art and Buddhism
Buddhaisawan Chapel
3rd, 4th & 5th Wednesday of the month
Various Topics (Depending on the guide)
Every Thursday
All materials published remain
the property of the NMV. No
part of this publication may
be reproduced without prior
written permission.
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English:
NMV Website address:
http://www.museumvolunteersbkk.net
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6162
1964
1249
3962
2179
3640
IN THIS ISSUE
CONTENTS
2
Memorial Tribute
3
Calendar
4
Notices
7
Message from the President
8
NMV@40
10
Children’s Day
12
Study Group
14
Feature
19
Guides Guide Guides
23
Excursion
27
Excursions Policy
28
Membership Application
This issue edited by:
Devin Brougham
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1
MEMORIAL TRIBUTE
Conrad Harding
It was with great sorrow that the NMV learned recently of the passing of
Conrad Harding.
Conrad joined the NMV in 2007 and took part in that year’s Guiding Workshop
where he was remembered as a great companion. In 2008 he joined the
Steering Committee, taking responsibility for the NMV News. He worked together with the newsletter team on a new, refreshed face for our monthly
publication. At the same time, he joined the Touching Thailand project and
made a huge contribution, actively developing the new initiative together with
the TT-team led by Susy Barry. Last summer, as many SC members left
Thailand, Conrad spontaneously agreed to support the NMV in the key position
of Guide Chair. After meetings with Miriam Jamieson, the previous Guide Chair,
he started to develop the Guiding Workshop for English-speaking guides in
2010. With new ideas and vision Conrad had invited the guide leaders from all
language groups to work together on his new project.
Conrad will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. He always had an
open ear listening to everybody in need. He was a good friend, a gentleman
and a smart, calm personality. We feel privileged to have known Conrad and
will keep his warm smile in our memories. To his family, friends and colleagues
we extend our deepest condolences.
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CALENDAR
Feb 1
Study Group – “The Journey of Mahayana Buddhism”
Feb 6
Excursion – “Day Trip to Ratchaburi”
Feb 8
Feb 15
Feb 17
English Guiding Workshop Commences
Feb 22
Study Group – “Thai Temple Murals”
Feb 24
Excursion – “Visit to King Taksin's Palace”
Mar 8
Mar 15
Mar 22
Mar 29
Apr 5
For further details regarding upcoming NMV events, please see announcements
in this newsletter or check the NMV website: www.museumvolunteersbkk.net
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NOTICES
Touching Thailand Guiding
Are you interested in guiding with a difference? If so, the Touching Thailand
project team would like to hear from you!
The NMV invites all visitors to the National Museum Bangkok to learn about
Thailand through Touching Thailand Tours. During these Tours, visitors are able
to touch specially selected Buddha statues, architectural items, ceramics and
other pieces while they learn about Thai art, history and culture.
Developed in conjunction with the National Museum Bangkok (NMB), the
Thailand Association of the Blind (TAB) and the NMV, these hands-on programs
have been designed so that blind and visually impaired Thais and foreigners
can learn about Thai history, art and culture through their fingers.
We are very interested in expanding the Touching Thailand team so that we
can meet future demand for tours. We are looking for people who wish to train
as guides as well as those willing to help with the organisation of the tours.
If you are interested in getting involved in this very special of NMV activities,
then please contact Bo Mazur on email address: information@museumvolunteer
sbkk.net.
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NMV ENGLISH GUIDING WORKSHOP 2010
EXPLORE THE NATIONAL MUSEUM BANGKOK:
Learn more about Thai art, architecture, history, religion and culture.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE 2010
Every Wednesday and Friday. 08:30-12:00
from Wednesday 17
th
until Friday 26
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DATE
TOPIC
Feb 17
Introduction to the GW 2010 and tour of the museum, visit to the
library
Feb 19
Buddhism 1 – Evolution of Buddha images
Feb 24
Buddhism 2 – Mahayan Buddhism, Buddhism in Thailand
Feb 26
Introduction to Hinduism
Mar 3
Buddhasaiwan Chapel
Mar 5
Buddhasaiwan Chapel
Mar 10
Palace 1: History of Chakri Dynasty - Salas, Red House, Throne
Hall, Gold Treasures, Transportation
Mar 12
Palace 2 – Theatre Arts and Games, Ceramics, Weapons,
Mother of Pearl, Wood Carving, Stone Inscriptions, Musical Instruments
Mar 17
Palace 3 – Textiles, Prince Pinklao’s House, Carriages / Meeting
for Guides guide Guides
Mar 19
Guides guide Guides
Mar 24
Guides guide Guides
Mar 26
Guides guide Guides
Apr 7, 8, 9
First tour of new guides
Jun 4
Get together for English, French, German & Japanese speaking
guides
DONATION
2,000 Baht NMV Members Only
VENUE (All Lectures & Tours) at the National Museum Bangkok
For more information:
e-mail: [email protected]
visit our website: www.museumvolunteersbkk.net
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Members,
January was a busy month with plenty of activities and news. We joined in the
National Museum’s Children’s Day celebration on January 9th, enjoying many
entertaining and educational activities. We were able to present our Touching
Thailand project, offer colouring and activities such as Hanuman mask-making
(many thanks to Nancy Chandler for her kind support), spirit house replicas,
paper puppets and more. We were amazed by the number of excited kids
keeping our small team busy. We want to join in this event next year, too, and
hope to get more foreign children involved.
The lecture and excursion to the Grand Palace on January 14th, led by our Patron
M.R.Chakrarot Chitrabongs, were exquisite. Khun Chai provided us insight into
Buddhist Cosmology and how it is reflected in the architecture of the Grand Palace.
The trip to the Grand Palace was an extraordinary privilege. Visiting this incredibly
beautiful place, we listened to Khun Chai’s teaching and his stories, wishing he
would never stop. Thank you, Khun Chai! During this event Khun Chai’s loyal
assistant, Khun Jaree, acted as a friendly adviser and supporter. We are grateful
to have Khun Jaree as a good friend of the NMV. Thank you Khun Jaree!
A very wise person once told me: most NMV members are newcomers to the
world of Buddhism and its principles, but these might be of help in handling
difficult circumstances. The circle of life is not always easy to accept, especially
as we take leave of a dear friend, Conrad Harding who passed away in early
January. This news has saddened all who knew him. We extend our heartfelt
condolences to his family and friends.
Since September 2009 Conrad was in charge as overall Guide Chair preparing
the next Guiding Workshop 2010. He and the guide leaders worked together on
a new program to attract more members to join the guiding training. We will
continue his vision by proceeding with the first joint guiding workshop since
decades, bringing together German speaking and English speaking members.
Let us hold the Guiding Workshop 2010 in commemoration of Conrad. Please
check the web page: http://www.museumvolunteersbkk.net/html/workshop.html
for updated information and keep in touch by email with Lynda, Berni and
Barbara: [email protected].
The workshop starts on 17th February, but we of course have other interesting
activities planned for this month. So please check the calendar in the current
News issue as well as the web site: http://www.museumvolunteersbkk.net/html/
coming_up.html for updates.
See you soon at the Museum!
With my best wishes
Bo Mazur
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NMV@40
This is our penultimate article in celebration of the NMV's 40th anniversary
year, featuring articles on various aspects of our history over the past
four decades. This month we are pleased to publish a poem inspired by
an NMV trip to Tibet in the 1995.
Tibetan Journey
by
Ginny Granger
Due to the effects of the Diamox
My brain has descended to my socks.
But we've all had such a wonderful time
I've put a few lines together – some in rhyme.
To our indomitable leader Eileen
What an incredible trip it has been!
You took each member of our group
And mixed us together into an erudite soup.
We began on a high note in Kathmandu
But crashed to earth when we reached Zhangmu.
Days spent negotiating mud and slush
The first few days were hardly plush.
Pit stops, yak butter tea and cheeks all chapped
Landslide, Mount Everest – the locals warmly wrapped
The driver absolutely fantastic
Guiding our bus along roads built by a spastic.
Tony put his hands to our “Wheel of Life”
And saved us from more stress and strife.
While Clifford sat down without a tatami
And Eileen handed out Gloria's salami.
Ian and Jude made very good karma
By handing out pictures of the Dalai Lama.
Ed and Ariane made good, too
By giving the monks lockets of – you know who.
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Gabriella, Beatrix, Laure – artistes de cuisine
Whose intention was not to make us lean.
Our thanks to Julian for the feast
He was the perfect picture of a Birthday Beast.
While we all went to look for thangkas and dorjes
We were warned of the arts of local forgers.
Eckehardt and Renate bought a fine carpet
In the fun-filled frolicking Bakhor Market.
Rose at last found a dorje treasure
One she can contemplate at her leisure,
While Nicky and Terry were near at hand
To lend us money in the chosen land.
Last but not least we must thank dear Phubu
Without whom our soup would just have become goo.
He imparted his knowledge and love of Tibet
To enhance our experience with ne'er a regret.
Tamdin, though our meeting was very brief
We'll remember when we see you in bas relief.
Your namesake can always be recognised
By the green horse on the god's forehead side.
With the help of every willing hand
We will pray for the freedom of your land.
While not all of us found a special mandala
At least we all recognise fierce Mahakala.
We all had magical moments in Tibet.
There are people and places we'll never forget.
Was there one of us who could remain unmoved
As the rhythmic chanting of the monks ensued.
The courtyards scene became the final wand
In cementing together our incredible bond.
So thank you, Eileen and the Museum Volunteers
We bid you farewell with smiles and a few tears.
And so as not to appear an absolute cretin
Gye su gye yung is adieu in Tibetan.
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CHILDREN’S DAY
On January 9th the National Museum celebrated Children’s Day in grand style.
The NMV was on hand to help with volunteers and lots of fun activities for the
Children. Thank you, Bo, Pina, Liz, Fred and others who were able to join in
the activities. Here are a few photos from the day taken by Fred Prager.
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STUDY GROUP
THAI TEMPLE MURALS
Orientation:
Monday, February 22nd
Dates:
March 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5th
Leaders:
Joyce Meer and Bill Lipsey
Place:
To be announced
The Thai temple was not only elaborately decorated externally; the interior walls
also were exquisitely painted, mainly by anonymous artists. These murals were
not merely decorative but served as instructions to make the teachings of
Theravada Buddhist scriptures, which were always written in the Pali language,
more accessible to all.
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Besides exploring the technical, aesthetic, and narrative aspects of Thai murals,
we will study the different schools of painting and the sources of inspiration,
such as the ten great Jatakas, the life of the historical Buddha, and the
Traiphum or the Three Worlds. We will also include the Lanna, Isan, and the
southern styles and contemporary murals in our study as well; and we will
enrich our experience with two field trips to examine murals in situ.
NMV members who wish to participate in this study group must sign up by
sending an e-mail to Else Geraets: [email protected].
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FEATURE
BHUTAN – Land of Buddha’s and Demons
By Else Geraets
My first trip to Bhutan was in 1995
and of course I was prepared for
changes, but I never realized that
tourism had had such an impact in the
western part of Bhutan where life had
changed, places looked differently and
where the people are now more affluent than 14 years ago. What had not
changed was the spirituality of the
people who still turn the prayer
wheels for hours, tie colorful prayer
flags on the mountain tops to secure
a safe journey or
asking
certain
favors from the
deities, like protection against the
demons who are
still
lurking
in
every corner on
the narrow roads
and in the hearts
and minds of the
people.
While most tourists only visit the western part of
Bhutan and turn back after visiting
Punaka, we wanted to go all the
way to the east and leave Bhutan
via Samdrup Jongkhar. Main reasons
to do this were the festivals in
Bumtang, the weaving in Lhuentse
and maybe I should add my own
intense curiosity to explore more of
this special magical land.
The charm of Bhutan are the picturesque towns and villages, none of
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them comparable with those anywhere in the world. The wooden
houses are painted in traditional
colors and sometimes decorated with
disturbing flying phalluses created by
an over-sexed lama who became
known as The Divine Madman.
The monasteries are all built on top
of the mountains to ensure that the
monks will have a peaceful retreat
and reaching them can be a strenuous and arduous
experience; that
is
why
we
skipped the famous Taktshang
Goemba or the
Tiger’s Nest. It is
not just the long
walk up to the
monastery
but
rather the final,
scary walk on a
narrow
path
some 900 meters
above the valley floor to reach the
Tiger’s Nest that made me take that
decision. Maybe we should have
done it to make more merit for the
final stretch of our trip although, how
can I possibly compete with a famous holy lama?
The Bhutanese people, both men
and women do still wear their national dress, a ‘gho’ for the men and
the ‘kira’ for the women. A ‘gho’
looks like a dressing gown, with a
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woven belt wound tightly around the
waist to make sure that the created
pouch will stay in place.
Some of these ‘gho’s’ are woven in
bright colors or in beautiful browns;
they do reach the knees and long
socks finish the outfits. But before
entering a ‘dzong’, the men will have
to add a long white shawl, giving
them a smashing appearance.
The ‘kira’ is a
long wrap-around
skirt that is fastened with two
copper or silver
colored
pins,
worn over a simple
top.
The
‘kira’ is woven in
cotton or silk,
and is sometimes beautifully
embellished with
supplementary
weft patterns.
The highlights of
our trip were
the festivals in
Bumtang.
We
had to travel to
the east and had to cross the mountains with some very high passes. The
weather was beautiful, bright blue
skies and the snow-capped mountain
tops were adding to the dramatic
scenery. The narrow roads were
frightening and to make sure that we
could manage our own demons we
had bought prayer-flags to hang them
with the thousands and thousands
flags on the top of the mountain.
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The first festival was at the Jambay
Lhakhang Drup in Bumtang and the
second was the Praker Tshechu, all
within easy reach from our hotel.
These colorful festivals take place in
the court-yard of the temple; a better
background for the dances is hard
to imagine. These ritual dances,
symbolizing the eternal struggle between good and evil are performed
by the monks. Barefooted and
dressed in colorful
skirts, the monks
are dancing to the
rhythm of a simple
instrument
that sounds like
the tinkling of a
bell. With slow
movements
and
swirling
skirts,
balancing
huge
headdresses while
their faces are always hidden they
have to jump and
turn to perform
like a divine being.
In
some
dances they wear
animal masks, or
as in the ‘Black
Hat Dance’ the
faces are hidden by the shadow of
the hat from which fringes dangle
down. This is a very intense dance
where the monks making use of different ‘mudra’s’ kill the evil spirit to
clear the way for a new, spiritual
year.
Another dramatic dance is the
‘Dance on the Cremation Ground’
where the God of the Netherworld
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judges two just deceased persons,
clearly separating the good one from
the evil one. Dancing skeletons play
a very important role to make it
clear to the audience that each one
of us will, sooner or later, be in this
situation.
Watching these ritual dances earns
the audience merit and the local
people come to enjoy for hours the
movements of the dancers while
praying their rosaries or keeping the
prayer wheels turning. So did I, sitting on the ground, absorbing the
colorful spectacle. I was happy to
have come all the way to Bumtang
to celebrate these festivals.
That evening we were asked to come
again to the temple to see something
unusual. It was really very cold when
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we left the hotel around 23.00 hours
and reaching the festival grounds we
realized they were about to begin. A
fire was burning, and suddenly 13
totally naked men came into the
courtyard. Their faces were covered
with white strips of cotton and they
started to dance around the fire. You
can imagine that some embarrassing
acts were played out, but that was
obviously part of the fun. This dance
has to be performed every year to
make sure that the demons will not
destroy the temple. We were not
allowed to take any pictures, so you
have to believe my word.
Before leaving Bumtang we had another wonderful experience. From Tibet came the custom of ‘debating’ in
the court-yard of the temple. What
happens is that two monks debate an
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issue. One is sitting and the other is
standing. When making his point the
standing one will take a step and
clasps his hands. That evening a wellknown teacher came and those students who were in the highest grade
were debating the issue: was food
good for you or not? There were lots
of emotions and although we did not
understand a single word, we enjoyed
the dedication of the teacher enormously and the conflicting theories
about the intake of food.
We had to travel further to the east
and Mongar was our next stop. Here
we met the very important and holy
lama who, after 25 years, came
back from the U.S. to his native
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land. He came with his entourage of
60 followers, all westerners and his
whole family, who were all important
incarnations. The two hotels in the
small village were taken over and
everybody was so excited that they
could only think of the blessings they
got from the lama that nobody realized that 10 tourists had to sleep
somewhere. After lots of talking they
were able to prepare us some place
to sleep: in the basement, obviously
the servant quarters. The women in
a row on the floor, the men sharing
two rooms, not what you expect to
happen when you sign up for an
expensive trip to Bhutan but something you just have to accept. The
day after, the lama and his entou-
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rage gone, the bathroom was ready
for use; you know it was a once in a
life time experience.
Due to all the commotion we did not
manage to go to Lhuentse, but we
got something special in return.
While visiting a temple we saw the
monks rehearsing for the upcoming
festival. This dance was expressing
‘The Loyalty to the King’ and what
made this so unique was that the
monks were not wearing their beautiful dresses, but just their robes with
a white skirt underneath and a pair
of short trousers. Probably in the
most beautiful court-yard, under a
bright blue sky we sat for more than
an hour, enjoying the fluency of the
dancers, their powerful jumps and
their chanting while dancing.
After all this we had to leave Bhutan, knowing that more calamities
were waiting for us: that Assam
would have a strike the day we had
to go to the airport, that Bhutan had
to close its border and that somehow we had to drive at night to
Guwahati.
(all photos by Else Geraets)
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GUIDES GUIDE GUIDES
These articles have been prepared by members who took the guiding
course at the National Museum. At the end of the course each participant
made a presentation on an aspect of Thai culture or history that they
researched. This month we are pleased to feature an article by one of our
French guides written in 2007.
Tête du Bouddha en terre cuite, période Dvaravati
par Françoise Armand
Cette tête du Bouddha en terre
cuite, haute de 20 cm, de style
Dvaravati, date du VIIe-VIIIe siècle
et provient du Wat Phra Ngam à
Nakhon Pathom. Il s’agit du “Temple
aux
Magnifiques
Images
du
Bouddha”, construit au XIXe siècle
par la volonté du Roi Chulalongkorn
(Rama V 1868-1910), qui masque
les restes d’un temple Dvaravati de
la même époque que le Phra
Pathom Chedi, situé un peu à l’est,
de l’autre côté de la rivière. Cette
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pièce, petite par sa taille mais
exceptionnelle par ses qualités
esthétiques, offre sa fragilité, son
mystère et ses qualités artistiques
tout en nous montrant quelques
traits
caractéristiques
du
style
Dvaravati.
Elle est fragile de part son matériau
: la terre cuite est peu résistante,
mais a été utilisée à cette époque
pour fabriquer des statuettes, des
vases et des décors architecturaux.
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Les œuvres étaient soit modelées
directement, soit moulées en deux
parties, mais de toute façon
achevées à l’outil avant cuisson. La
terre utilisée est très fine, sans addition de paddy et peu épaisse. Pour
éviter
l’effondrement
au
feu,
l’épaisseur était en moyenne de 2 à
5 cm, ici certainement un peu
moins. La chevelure est faite en
deux temps, les boucles sont
moulées
à
part
puis
ensuite
reportées sur le crâne avant cuisson.
On voit que cette tête est pleine :
peut-être
est-ce
un
bourrage
postérieur à sa découverte, pour la
consolider, ou peut-être est-ce une
armature d’origine de la statue. Ces
armatures étaient la règle dès que la
statue était un peu grande et elle
était
faite
d’un
assemblage
hétérogène d’argile, de cylindres de
terre cuite, de bois et parfois de
métal,
mais
sûrement
plus
homogène pour un petit volume
comme les têtes. Après cuisson, les
traits et les détails étaient réaffirmés
et certains décors, comme les
parures – mais ce n’est pas le cas
ici – repris à l’outil (poinçons,
roulettes). Les terres cuites étaient
recouvertes de stuc comme d’un
enduit. Le stuc est une sorte de
plâtre; dans l’Asie de cette époque,
il était fait d’un mélange de sable,
de calcaire et parfois de balle de riz
avec un produit adhésif constitué de
citron, de sirop de sucre de canne
et de peau animale. Comme il est
facile à sculpter, il constitue la
matière première d’éléments de
décoration
retrouvés
en
grand
nombre, aux mêmes endroits que les
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terres cuites et dont certains sont
présentés au musée national, dans
les vitrines voisines de cette tête du
Bouddha. Ce stuc est encore visible
à certains endroits de la chevelure.
Les terres cuites, tout comme les
stucs, étaient peints de couleurs en
grande partie conventionnelles. Ces
sculptures étaient fragiles aussi par
leur position sur le monument : tous
les corps des statues adhéraient au
moins partiellement à la paroi de
brique, fixés par leur armature, et le
moindre dégât que subissait l’édifice,
le moindre glissement de terrain
disloquait l’ensemble de la statue. La
tête faite à part se détachait du
corps, mais étant d’une forme
compacte et de matériau plus
homogène, elle résistait mieux
aux éboulements. Ceci explique
qu’on ait retrouvé un grand nombre
de têtes (une soixantaine) et pas
du tout un nombre de corps
équivalent.
Ces images ont traversé quelques
quatorze siècles mais, fragmentaires,
elles conservent une grande partie
de leur mystère et ce visage seul
rescapé d’une œuvre dont tout le
reste a disparu, nous parle par sa
seule beauté sans donner beaucoup
de renseignements sur l’ensemble
de
la
statue.
C’est
une
représentation
du
Bouddha
historique, reconnaissable par la
présence
de
l’ushnisha,
la
protubérance crânienne qui symbolise la sagesse du Bouddha, et elle
devait constituer un élément de
décor
architectural
d’un
stûpa,
comme d’autres objets en terre cuite
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et en stuc avec lesquels elle fut
retrouvée dans les fouilles de
Nathon
Pathom;
certains
sont
présentés dans la salle Dvaravati. Le
temple sur lequel elle était placée a
disparu, on suppose que c’était un
stûpa à étages comme le Phra
Pathom Chedi. Les têtes retrouvées
sur les deux sites se ressemblent
beaucoup; elles ont une dimension
de 38 à 11 cm, la plus grande
partie étant inférieure à 30 cm,
celle-ci mesure une vingtaine de
centimètres;
elle
n’appartenait
certainement pas à une statue des
niches de l’étage inférieur, mais à
des statues plus petites, situées plus
haut, dans des niches moins
spacieuses….
Mais,
mêmes
fortement étayées, ce ne sont que
des suppositions.
Ce mystère, c’est aussi en partie
celui de son époque, le royaume
Dvaravati (VIe-XIe siècle), dont on
connaît assez peu de choses. Vers
le milieu du VIe siècle, au moment
où s’effondre l’empire indianisé du
Funan, qui à partir du Cambodge
er
(1 siècle) avait étendu sa domination en Asie du Sud-Est de la mer
de Chine à l’Irrawady et au sud de
l’Indochine et de la péninsule malaise (apogée au IIIe siècle),
émergent plusieurs royaumes locaux
dont en Thaïlande ce que l’on a
appelé le royaume Dvaravati. Il
s’agirait en réalité d’une espèce de
regroupement de villes-états liées
entre elles par des relations de
proximité, mais aussi par des liens
familiaux ou personnels en une organisation assez lâche où les
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February 2010
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allégeances fluctuaient. La carte à
l’entrée de la salle Dvaravati en
montre l’extension : d’abord le triangle
Lopburi/Prachinburi/Ratchaburi,
puis l’ensemble de la plaine
parcourue par la Chao Praya,
jusqu’à
Haripunjaya
(aujourd’hui
Lampun) au nord. L’organisation
politique de cet espace est assez
mal définie et mal connue: il a duré
plus de quatre siècles et on ne
connaît, et encore sans réelle certitude et sans précision, seulement le
nom de deux de ses souverains…
On pense que la première “capitale”
fut U-Thong, à qui succéda Nakhon
Pathom (où fut trouvée cette tête) et
Lopburi en fut aussi un centre important.
Par
contre,
l’identité
culturelle est nette et donne sa
cohésion à l’ensemble : c’est le pays
des
Môns,
marqué
par
une
communauté de langue, appartenant
à la branche Môn-Khmère et de religion où dominait largement le
Bouddhisme
Theravada,
sans
exclure la présence de cultes
Mahayana comme le montre, entre
autres, des statues de Bodhisattva.
Ces cultes ont été certainement
promus par les incursions khmères
et les efforts missionnaires qui
accompagnaient les entreprises du
royaume de Srivijaya. Cet espace
Dvaravati est peu à peu incorporé à
l’empire Khmer qui se développe en
même temps que lui, puis se
renforce et multiplie les conquêtes
dont le pays des Môns au XIe
siècle.
Cette tête est donc l’œuvre d’un
artiste Môn, anonyme bien sûr,
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21
selon
la
tradition.
L’influence
artistique indienne va de pair avec
les liens religieux et la période
Gupta donne à ce visage son ovale,
son aspect lisse et serein, ainsi que
l’arête très fine des sourcils. Mais le
sculpteur a imprimé sur son image
du Bouddha les traits spécifiques de
la physionomie Môn: le visage large,
les arcades sourcilières jointives qui
forment un arc à triple courbure
(caractère spécifique de l’art Môn),
des paupières lourdes presque
fermées (elles sont souvent plus
allongées vers les tempes que sur
ce visage) très épurées, elles sont
ici réduites au minimum: un simple
trait proche de l’horizontale, un nez
droit et fort (plus long que sur
d’autres visages Dvaravati), une
bouche charnue aux lèvres épaisses
et dont les commissures remontent
un peu, un menton court et lourd.
Bien qu’elle soit endommagée,
l’ushnisha apparaît aplatie en demicercle, ce type de coiffure où
chevelure et ushnisha se confondent
n’a été retrouvé qu’à Nakhon
Pathom ; les cheveux forment une
masse de boucles rondes assez
schématisées (enroulement peu visible), disposées directement sur le
front en rangs superposés et non
alternés. Une seule oreille subsiste à
droite du visage, bien abîmée…. Peu
de choses, finalement, sur ce visage
asexué
(là
encore
une
caractéristique Môn). Une grande
sobriété, une grande douceur, une
grande pureté…
Ces traits caractérisent la sculpture
Môn,
vraisemblablement
de
la
22
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période médiane de Dvaravati ; la
fourchette de datation VIIe-VIIIe
siècle la situe à cheval sur les deux
premières périodes de classification.
Il est difficile de classer ces têtes,
car elles sont à la fois nombreuses
présentant des points communs,
mais aussi très diverses, beaucoup
plus que celles en pierre ou en
bronze. La terre cuite et le stuc, plus
souples à manier et plus rapides
d’exécution, portent sans doute plus
facilement la marque de l’évolution
des styles et des influences locales….
La
comparaison
avec
d’autres visages de la même salle
montre la qualité de celui-ci qui
dégage beaucoup d’harmonie et de
sérénité en même temps qu’une
grande force intérieure. L’artiste Môn
qui a réalisé cette image était
particulièrement doué, particulièrement attentif à la qualité du matériau
qu’il travaillait (voir la finesse de
l’argile) et son œuvre a eu de la
chance, le temps, malgré les mutilations, a été clément: l’enduit et la
peinture sont partis régulièrement, la
fine
argile
est
restée
lisse,
doucement patinée d’ocre rouge,
donnant à ce visage une modernité
et une chaleur émouvante….
Si les Môns ont excellé dans la
réalisation d’œuvres en terre cuite et
en stuc, ils ont aussi travaillé la
pierre, et en particulier ce sont eux
qui introduisent dans ce qui sera la
Thaïlande les Roues de la Loi, et à
un moindre degré le bronze. C’est
sur ce fond de population Môn que
s’installent les Thaïs, mais les traditions du travail de la terre cuite des
Môns persistent toujours dans la
Thaïlande actuelle.
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February 2010
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EXCURSION
A DAY TRIP TO RATCHABURI
Date:
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Time:
6.45 a.m. for 7.00 a.m. departure.
Return approx. 18.00 p.m. (water, snacks and lunch in
cluded)
Leader:
Ruth Gerson
Location:
Dusit Thani Hotel lobby
Donation:
Members 1500 Baht / Non-members 2000 Baht NB:
prepayment required
Reservations:
Aviva Biran [email protected]. Please advise your
mobile phone number when booking.
As this trip is on a Saturday, it is the perfect opportunity to bring along
your spouse or a friend to enjoy an NMV excursion.
Please join us on a full day excursion to the town of Ratchaburi and its
surroundings, the site of several ancient cultures. First known as part of the
Dvaravati Kingdom (6th to 10th centuries) it was later inhabited by the
Khmer and eventually by the Thai
people. In the limestone mountains
just outside the city rises Khao Ngu,
or Snake Mountain, which has small
caves cut into its side all dating to
the 7th century. We shall first visit
the best-known cave, the Rishi
Cave, named after the hermit
Samadhi Gupta who had meditated
there. Inside the cave, the seated
Dvaravati Buddha is depicted in gilt
bas-relief, also believed to date to
the 7th century. Another well-preserved cave is the Tham Fa To, our
next stop, reached by a steep hike
of 200 steps. The cave has an 8meter bas-relief of a reclining Buddha and devotees.
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February 2010
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23
At the edge of the city is the Khmer style temple of Wat Si Ratana Mahathat,
built in the 13th century and restored in the 15th century. It is the furthest
western site of a Khmer prang in Thailand, although today the Ayutthaya style
renovations are more evident. The delicate stucco relief depicts figures of
deities. This temple and some of the excavations of the bases of auxiliary
structures are currently under renovation. We will also visit the Ratchaburi
National Museum with its display of fine Dvaravati sculpture and art from all
subsequent art periods in the region.
The trip will conclude with a visit to a large water jar workshop, where the wellknown Ratchaburi clay jars are produced. We will be able to observe the
process of potting and ornamenting. You may want to purchase some of these
attractive ceramics.
Our leader Ruth Gerson is past President of the NMV and a long time resident
of Thailand. She writes and lectures on Thai art and culture as well as that of
neighboring countries.
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February 2010
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VISIT TO THE KING TAKSIN PALACE
Date:
Wednesday, 24th February 2010
Time:
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Leader:
Jane Puranananda
Location:
Meet at the Oriental Hotel at 8:30 a.m. and travel by boat to
Wang Derm. The half-day morning tour will include coffee
break at the palace and optional lunch on the river.
Donation:
Members Baht 700. Please confirm your status when you
book.
Reservations:
[email protected] Please advise your mobile phone
number when booking. Pre-payment required.
Deadline:
20
Note:
As the palace is located in the Royal Thai Navy Compound,
a copy of your passport / Thai ID card must be submitted 3
weeks in advance. Please ensure that the copy clearly
shows your name, passport number and picture. Appropriate
attire is required for the visit.
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February 2010
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th
February or when filled. Please note seats are limited.
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25
For a very brief period in Thai history, from 1767 until 1882, a compound
known to the Thai people as the Phra Raja Wang Derm or "Original Palace"
played an important role in the destiny of Thailand. At this site King Taksin
established the new capital of Siam after the fall of Ayutthaya. NMV will
arrange a special visit to this palace which is located in the Royal Thai Navy
Compound next to Wat Arun. Our leader will be Jane Puranananda who has
researched the background of the palace and the stories of other famous royals
who were Wang Derm residents over the years.
26
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February 2010
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EXCURSIONS POLICY
Participating in NMV excursions is a benefit of being a member. An NMV
member may be accompanied by a non-member if they are family or a house
guest (maximum of 2), space permitting.*
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Bookings
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Always make reservations by email to the organiser listed in the announcement.
Please provide your name, mobile number plus membership status of you
and guest(s).*
You are not registered until your request has been received by email and
an acknowledgement has been sent to you in writing.
Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis.
By making a booking, you are committing to pay in full for your place.
If full payment is requested prior to an excursion and has not been
received, the organisers retain the right to pass your place to another
person.
Often an excursion announcement will give a booking deadline. If full, the
trip may close and be finalised before this date.
Until the excursion organiser is actually in receipt of your payment, you are
not considered to have paid.
The NMV reserves the right to cancel an excursion if enough members do
not sign up.
Cancellations
Your payment indicates your intention to travel. If you cancel, there will not
be a refund.
If you cannot attend an excursion, please notify the organiser immediately.
If you cancel your booking, unpaid fees are considered a debt owed to the
NMV. We regret that no further bookings can be made until this debt is
cleared.
WAIVER OF LIABILITY
The NMV will not provide personal insurance for excursion participants. The
Museum Group’s Excursions are an activity of the National Museum Volunteers,
which is a non-profit organization and is not a professional travel service. It
cannot be held responsible for any injury, loss, or damage that may occur
during any excursion, although the Museum Group’s Excursions will make
reasonable efforts to provide for the safety of participants.
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February 2010
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27
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Please complete all details on this form and mail to the address below with
a crossed cheque of 1,200 Baht for residents in Thailand (1,800 Baht for
couple) or 2,000 Baht or US $60 (for cheques drawn on a US bank)
for an overseas subscription, made payable to NATIONAL MUSEUM
VOLUNTEERS. We regret Postal Orders cannot be accepted.
MEMBERSHIP CHAIRPERSON
P. O. Box 1305, Nana Post Office
Bangkok 10112
Prof/Dr/Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms: (First name)
(Family name)
(PLEASE USE CAPITALS)
Address:
Postal Code:
Telephone: Fax:
Mobile Phone:
E-mail:
Nationality
New Member
Renewal
Cash:
Change of Address
Cheque Amount:
Bank Name & Cheque No:
Date:
Please indicate if you would like to volunteer in any of the following:
Guiding
Newsletter Contribution
Library
Slide Library
Editing
Computer Skills
Publication
Hospitality
Other (please specify)
Membership entitles you to:
¢
Attend the guiding workshop to train to become a museum guide.
¢
Participate in study groups.
¢
Enjoy discounted fees and preference on local and out-of-country excursions, at homes and lectures.
¢
Receive the NMV monthly newsletter
¢
Use the NMV library (Possibility to borrow books)
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February 2010
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NMV STEERING COMMITTEE
Patron:
MR Chakrarot Chitrabongs
President:
Bo Mazur *
Vice-president:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Isabelle Depaty *
Claudia van der Heyden *
Benedicte Huaut *
Guide Chair:
Vacant
Tour leaders:
English (Tours):
Lynda O’Callaghan
French:
Isabelle Depaty
Jean-Pierre Joly
German:
Barbara Frank
Christiane Fischer
Japanese Liaison 1:
Japanese Liaison 2:
At Homes:
Naomi Nomoto
Kumi Ishii
Jo-Ann Gasteen *
Accessibility:
Library:
Anuje Sirikit
Francoise Vincent
Lecture series:
Membership:
Monthly program:
Jean Harvey
Annemarie Hellemans *
Anette Pollner
NMV News Editor:
Product Manager:
Devin Brougham *
Frederic Prager
Publicity:
Excursions:
Liz Elliott
Berni Sabatini
Viorica Brougham
Study Groups:
Aviva Biran
Else Geraets *
Hospitality:
Webmaster:
Susy Duerig
Bo Mazur *
Contact us:
President:
News Editor:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Webmaster:
[email protected]
* Executive committee members
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February 2010
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www.museumvolunteersbkk.net
P.O. Box 1305 Nana Post Office
Bangkok 10112
Thailand
กลุ่มอาสาสมัครพิพิธภัณฑ์สถานแห่งชาติ
ตู้ ป.ณ. 1305 นานา
กรุงเทพฯ 10112
The National Museum Bangkok is located on
(ถนนหน้าพระธาตุ)
Naphrathat Road
between the National Theatre and Thammasat University,
across from the Sanam Luang

February 2010 - National Museum Volunteers

Transcription

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