The city of Ayutthaya was founded, according to the official history, in 1350, and it became the dominant power in central Thailand, sometimes extending into Cambodia as well, until around 1800—a period of more than 400 years. The catalog reviewed here chronicles an exhibition organized by the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco focusing on the art produced during this extended period of Ayutthaya's dominance. Considering the very long time span during which Ayutthaya controlled this important part of mainland Southeast Asia, the catalog reader or exhibition viewer may be struck by how little is known about the art and history of this period. Likewise, many of the objects in the exhibition will probably be unfamiliar to most viewers. Although many are of excellent quality and great beauty, they tend to be moderate in size and frequently show some damage. Collections of Ayutthaya-period art in U.S. museum collections is not...

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