a rare khmer, bakong style, sandstone frieze with three ganeshas

LATE 9TH CENTURY

細節

a rare khmer, bakong style, sandstone frieze with three ganeshas
late 9th century
The frieze is carved with three standing elephants, each with their right hand holding the broken tusk and the left the bowl with sweet, wearing sampot secured by a belt and with short flange falling between the legs, naked upper body, elephant headed, their trunk reaching for the sweets, large ears and curled hairdress falling backwards
43 x 50 cm, mounted

拍品專文

The iconography of these three standing elephants, probably representing Ganesha, is extremely unusual. Stylistically the sculpture seems to be dateable to the late ninth century, if taking the stocky body, the short sampot and simple wide falling central flange into consideration. The stele can be compared with Bakong style sculptures from the Roluos temple complex.