Art from on high

Art from on high

Painting plays a major role in creating the royal crematorium for King Bhumibol Adulyadej

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Art from on high
Room partitions for the royal crematorium of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Photo: Jetjaras Na Ranong

Exquisitely painted room partitions are an important part of a royal crematorium, considered royal paraphernalia for ceremonies. Their creation is inspired by the literary work Traiphum, which describes the three worlds according to the Buddhist-Bhraman beliefs of the universe, reincarnation, and the rule of karma.

Partitions for royal crematoriums are foldable and attached to the four pillars of the highest level of the building for enshrining the royal urn. They prevent air from entering the area and outsiders from seeing the inside of the structure. The paintings on them portray angels and flowers relating to specific royals.

The partitions created for the Oct 26 royal cremation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej are extraordinary in terms of art and sophistication.

Photo courtesy of Fine Arts Department

"The use of room partitions for royal crematoriums is a long-time tradition," said Monthian Chusuahueng, the Office of Traditional Arts' painting specialist who designs the front side of the partitions.

"There are several motifs, but this time the partitions depict eight of the 10 avatars of god Vishnu [all except the fifth and ninth], plus one more avatar representing King Rama IX. These avatars appear among delightful angels seeing off King Rama IX on his way to heaven."

Over a century ago, partitions for royal crematoriums were usually embroidery work. Four partitions for the royal crematorium for King Rama V in 1910 were made of silk embroidered with gold and silver threads and colourful fine silk threads. They were placed in wooden frames decorated with gold leaves and mirror glass, depicting female angels carrying flowers to pay respects to King Rama V. At present, three of the partitions are kept at Wat Chanasongkhram in Bangkok, and the other in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha Museum.

Lately, partitions have been synonymous with paintings. Partitions for the royal crematorium for Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother portray angels holding swords; those for HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, the elder sister of King Bhumibol, depict angels flying and playing music; and those for HRH Princess Bejraratana Rajasuda, the only daughter of King Rama VI, portray angels paying respects amid roses.

Room partitions for the royal cremation of King Rama V. Photo courtesy of National Archives of Thailand

The partitions for King Bhumibol's royal crematorium are 4.4m tall and 5.35m wide. The front side portrays nine avatars of god Vishnu in the upper section and royal projects in the lower, while the rear side portrays heavenly flowers of silver and gold lotus, monthathip and montharop. Buddhist belief holds that a king is a Bodhisattva who will reincarnate as the future Buddha. Being a king is the opportunity to perform good deeds and accumulate merit and charisma. After death, a king will ascend to heaven. According to the Brahman doctrine, a king is an avatar of the three mighty gods Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu.

According to Monthian, 24 of more than 4,000 royal projects initiated by King Rama IX will find their way into the paintings, portrayed under the themes of soil, water, wind and fire. For example, land improvement and vetiver grass projects representing soil; dams, reservoirs and artificial rain representing water; windmills for pumping water and generating electricity representing wind; and energy projects, such as biodiesel, representing fire.

The partition for the north part of the royal crematorium depicts the first and second avatar of god Vishnu, as a fish and a turtle, as well as six royal projects relating to water: royal rain, check dams, the Khao Tao Reservoir in Prachuap Khiri Khan, the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam in Lop Buri, Pak Phanang River Basin Development Project in Nakhon Si Thammarat and the Chaipattana aerator invented by King Rama IX.

The partition for the east side depicts the third and fourth avatars of god Vishnu as a wild boar and a half-lion/half-human as well as six royal projects related to soil. To the south is portrayed the sixth and seventh avatars of god Vishnu as an axe-wielding Brahmin priest and Phra Ram (Rama), as well as royal projects related to fire, or energy, including biogas, biodiesel and solar-cell projects around the country.

Royal projects depicted on the walls of Phra Thinang Songtham. Photo: Pichaya Svasti

Lastly, to the west, the partition depicts the eighth and 10th avatars of god Vishnu, as Phra Krishna and a man riding a white horse, as well as six royal projects relating to wind.

Kiattisak Suwannapong, the painting specialist who designs the interior side of the partitions, said: "My duty is to design the rear side of the partitions, which will be facing the royal urn. My design portrays heaven by showing softness and celestial happiness. The focus is the royal emblem Phor Por Ror, decorated with paintings of heavenly flowers. The chosen colours are meant to show gentleness and comfort. King Rama IX's favourite colours are also applied."

The meaning of this side is the return of King Bhumibol to heaven, where Bodhisattvas accumulate merit before reincarnating as Buddhas. The paintings depict celestial flowers, including dok monthathip and dok montharop, inspired by the murals of the prayer hall enshrining the famous Buddha statue Phra Buddha Shinnarat in Phitsanulok. These flowers were said to appear when the Lord Buddha was born, became enlightened and left the world for parinirvana (the end of suffering).

The design process, by Kiattisak, took two days. The draft focuses on gold and pink -- King Bhumibol's most auspicious colours. Among Kiattisak's outstanding previous works is the official symbol of HM Queen Sirikit's 84th birthday.

For more than eight months, the room partitions were painted by 15 artists under the Fine Arts Department's Office of Traditional Arts and about five volunteers who worked every day from 8.30am-8.30pm. Former prime minister Chuan Leekpai, also an artist, was a volunteer.

Apart from the room partitions, huge paintings for decorating Phra Thinang Songtham, the pavilion for royals and VIPs, have been created. They were designed and drawn on canvases by the artists of the Office of Traditional Arts, and painted by artists from the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, the Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin Poh Chang Campus, as well as the College of Fine Arts.

Each painting is 14.6m wide and 8.3m tall. The first depicts 10 of King Bhumibol's personal royal projects in Bangkok and peripheral provinces; the second, 13 royal projects in the North and Northeast; and the third, 14 royal projects in the South and Central Region.

As of last week, the fourth out of all five steps to create the partitions -- applying colour to life-size canvases -- was completed. The last is to place the canvases into the frames and check the final details.

One of the volunteers, Niphon Baobaebdee, 30, who graduated from the Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin Poh Chang campus, worked from 9am-8pm daily for several months to paint the partitions. "I volunteered to assist the work because I would like to take part. It is a great honour for me to serve King Rama IX."

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