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Lot Essay
This highly important polished sculpture is very well preserved apart from the missing feet and forearms. The 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 four-armed deity most likely represents a youthful Vishnu. The artist sculpted the figure with slightly bent knees to give it movement in an otherwise static posture. The worked sampot and crown contrast 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 Vat period.
The presented figure is rather slim with long legs, relative short body while his head, neck and shoulders are naturalistic proportioned, all stylistic characteristics of the Baphuon style. The shape and features of his face, including the slightly more fleshly cheeks, full lips framed by moustache and beard, give the sculpture a rather human character, especially compared to earlier as well later examples.
The Baphuon period is arguably the highpoint in depiction of both male and female form in all Khmer art. One may even say that the materialized gods from this period are handsome and well built, and the goddesses sensual and graceful. This superb figure of 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.
As Hinduism was the state religion during the Baphuon period the presented four-armed deity most likely represents a youthful Vishnu. The artist sculpted the figure with slightly bent knees to give it movement in an otherwise static posture. The worked sampot and crown contrast 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 Vat period.
The presented figure is rather slim with long legs, relative short body while his head, neck and shoulders are naturalistic proportioned, all stylistic characteristics of the Baphuon style. The shape and features of his face, including the slightly more fleshly cheeks, full lips framed by moustache and beard, give the sculpture a rather human character, especially compared to earlier as well later examples.
The Baphuon period is arguably the highpoint in depiction of both male and female form in all Khmer art. One may even say that the materialized gods from this period are handsome and well built, and the goddesses sensual and graceful. This superb figure of 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.