Glazed Stoneware Elephant With Six Figures

Sawankhalok, Thailand of 15th Century.

The elephant figurine with cream-coloured and the dark-brown glazes came from the kiln of Sawankhalok, Thailand. Besides plates and bowls, the potters of Sawankhalok always created the vessels related to their belief. The war elephant which dominates the sculpture carries two attendants on its capacious back. One sits comfortably forward, balancing with a hand on the elephant’s head; other is perched less securely at the tail end, squeezing his knee to avoid slipping off. Both grasp whips or thongs with which to control the large beast. The quartet of foot-soldier escorting the elephant adopted a combat-ready stance, holding up their shields to deflect an enemy assault.