Sukhothai Style
One of the canonical styles for Buddha icons developed probably in the Tai kingdom of Sukhothai (modern Thailand), beginning in the 14th century. As the first of at least three major successive efforts by Tai kings to establish an “authentic” canon for the icons, the Sukhothai style was followed by the U Thong and the lion types.
The most direct influence on Sukhothai style was the art of Sri Lanka (Ceylon), which was a stronghold of Theravada Buddhism and a source of images worthy of copying. Buddhism had long since declined in India.
