Time and Space in Thai Mural Paintings: Case Studies of Phra Thinang Putthaisawan and the Ordination Hall of Wat Suthatthepwararam

Abstract

Humans live in a four-dimensional world of space and time. However, paintings are two-dimensional objects that create an illusion mimicking the three dimensions of space and the fourth dimension of time. Paintings in each culture have different ways of achieving this effect. This study aims to analyze the design process in Thai mural paintings that convey the three dimensions of space and the fourth dimension of time. The study approach examines the composition of murals and analyzes the architectural scenes in the early Rattanakosin period. The findings are distinctive characteristics of early Rattanakosin period mural paintings which could be categorized into four points: 1) Panel 1, Phrathinang Putthaisawan, was designed in three separate parts, each narrating a specific story or scene from the Buddha’s life. 2) The architectural design of this mural is a sectional view of the scene, where the front of the building is open, showcasing the people and activities inside. A traditional painting technique dating back to the Ayuthaya period. 3) A common technique used by craftsmen was to design the palace’s architectural scenes as “multi-dimensions on a single plane,” showing the angles of the palaces’ roofs by layering them and using “Oblique” lines on the extended wings of the building. 4) The mural paintings from Wat Suthat Thepwararam developed a three-dimensional style, emphasizing areas closer to reality and more complex. Meanwhile, the design of the palace scene also became more three-dimensional by using traditional techniques to add depth and clear oblique lines, resulting in a more complicated and detailed overall composition that can express time more precisely. This conclusion is consistent with the observations made by historians that the society during King Rama the Third’s reign had more diverse and bustling spaces filled with people and various activities.