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Lot Essay
This highly important polished sculpture is very well preserved. The sacred image is not wearing any carved jewellery and it may thus have been decorated with real jewellery during ceremonies. As Hinduism was the state religion during the Baphuon period, the presented deity most likely represents Vishnu. The artist sculpted the figure with slightly bent knees to give it movement in an otherwise static posture. The worked sampot contrasts finely against the smooth body parts.
Based on the developments of the previous half-century, artists of the Baphuon period introduced a number of new stylistic elements and refinements. For instance, the sampot draped around the hips of male deities dips in almost V-shape below the navel with graceful folds below the belt. It passes through the legs to form a curving bow at his back. The double anchor-shaped cloth section falling to the front between the legs, known from previous periods, disappears, though returns again with the artists of the succeeding Angkor Wat period.
The presented figure is rather slim with long legs, relative short body, and his shoulders are naturalistically proportioned, all stylistic characteristics of the Baphuon period. The Baphuon period is arguably the highpoint in depiction of both male and female forms in all Khmer art. One may even say that the materialized gods from this period are handsome and well-built. This superb figure of probably Vishnu is indeed elegant and naturalistic in appeal, in fact presenting the deity in an idealized human form benefiting his name as Preserver of the Universe.
Appraised by Jean-Claude Moreau-Gobard, Paris, on 28 July 1979 and 24 June 1981.
Based on the developments of the previous half-century, artists of the Baphuon period introduced a number of new stylistic elements and refinements. For instance, the sampot draped around the hips of male deities dips in almost V-shape below the navel with graceful folds below the belt. It passes through the legs to form a curving bow at his back. The double anchor-shaped cloth section falling to the front between the legs, known from previous periods, disappears, though returns again with the artists of the succeeding Angkor Wat period.
The presented figure is rather slim with long legs, relative short body, and his shoulders are naturalistically proportioned, all stylistic characteristics of the Baphuon period. The Baphuon period is arguably the highpoint in depiction of both male and female forms in all Khmer art. One may even say that the materialized gods from this period are handsome and well-built. This superb figure of probably Vishnu is indeed elegant and naturalistic in appeal, in fact presenting the deity in an idealized human form benefiting his name as Preserver of the Universe.
Appraised by Jean-Claude Moreau-Gobard, Paris, on 28 July 1979 and 24 June 1981.