Skip to main content

Baphuon style (1010-1080)

Figure27. Laksmi
Trapeang Totung Thngay temple, Siem Reap
H: 100 cm
Ka. 1580 B. 761 B. 32, 9
Moved from the Conservation d’Angkor to the museum on 31 January 1948

The goddess is shown standing and making the danamudra with her right hand, a gesture that symbolizes donation. She wears a pleated skirt whose back reaches up to the waist, while the front is tied be3low the navel. The sampot is harmoniously tied at the front in a style similar to that of the Pre-Angkorian era, with only a small fold hanging over. But it is narrower at the bottom than sampots were in the previous style.

It must garment is set off by a belt decorated with hanging pendants. The finely carved belt is decorated with rosettes and lined by two rows of pearls.

Lastly, her hair is braided and piled at the top of her head in a domed chignon that is tied with a garland at its base.

Her slender waist, round and firm breasts set close together, slender fingers, and her eyes set with precious stones that have since been lost, capture a Khmer beauty bursting with life.


Figure28. Laksmi
Bei temple, Koh Ker, Preah Vihear
H: 114 cm
Ka. 1670 B. 803 B. 71, 9
Moved from the Conservation d’Angkor to the museum on 19 April 1952

The mukuta in the shape of a truncated cone provides information for the dating of the Baphuon standing statue.

The large fold of the sampot at the waist is reminiscent of previous style, but the bottom of lengthwise fold is shaped as a fish tail.

As a consequence, we may assume that Baphuon style deities are represented wearing two different style of sampot, the first style worn by the Trapeang Totung Thngay deity (Ka. 1580) and the second one shown here (Ka. 1670).


Figure29. Laksmi
Western Mebon temple, Angkor, Siem Reap
H: 159 cm
Ka. 1672 B. 826 B. 32, 11

This sculpture has two unique features; the wavy eyebrows and full upper lip, and the conical shape of the mukuta. The first one is a classic example of Baphuon style, while the second is typical of the Angkor Vat style. This deity can therefore be dated from the late Baphuon style or early Angkor Vat style.

Laksmi’s legs and feet are large and heavy and totally unrealistic. This technique will be used again for some Bayon style sculptures.


Figure30. Adorned Laksmi
H: 133 cm
Ka. 785 B. 313 B. 32, 6
Acquired by the museum on 18 September 1931

This goddess is characterized by a large square face, dimpled chin, wavy eyebrows and folds beneath her breast. She wears a lotus bud-shaped mukuta and a wide diadem. Her round necklace is finely decorated and her loose belt is merely worn as an accessory.

We must consider additional examples to better understand the various elements of dress and decoration that characterize the Baphuon style female deities.


Figure31. Body of female deity
Unknown origin
H: 88 cm
Ka. 2999

The jewelry worn by the goddess catches the eye. She wears a long necklace that reaches down to the top of her breasts and bangles on her upper arms. These jewels are decorated with rosettes.

In the middle of the sampot, the cloth is folded in front and the rest of the fold reappears in the shape of a shell. It may be worn as shown here or folded up.


Figure32. Body of female deity
Unknown origin
H: 57 cm
Ka. 2393

In spite of the mutilated appearance of this piece, the wide flat belt is still visible, worn loosely on the hips as a decorative element. The breasts and the stomach are lightly carved.


Figure33. Female deity
Unknown origin
H: 90 cm
Ka. 877

Her hairstyle is typical of the Baphuon style; her round narrow chignon is held at the base with a garland of pearls.


Figure34. Body of female deity
Unknown origin
H: 58 cm
Ka. 32 B. 474 B. 712, 4

The lower end of the lengthwise fold of the sampot is shaped as a fish tail. Sampots from the Angkor Vat style will retain this style.
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Kampong Preah style (706-800)

This art form reflects a dark period in the history of Cambodia caused by the dislocation of Tchen-la into two kingdoms. The style of Kampong Preah is similar to that of Prei Khmeng, although an increasing number of statues are carved in a plainer fashion, in particular the folded edge of the sampot and the lengthwise fold. Figure11. Durga(?) Unknown origin H: 141 cm Ka. 318 The presence of the supporting arch, evidence of which can be seen in the marks at the back of the head, and the two-armed shoulders indicate that this deity is Durga. The almond-eyes, sharp curved eyebrows, breasts, folds beneath the breasts, slender hips and, lastly the cylindrical mitre are characteristics of a classic Kampong Preah style sculpture. The simplified fold and pleats of the garment show great elegance. The face expresses natural beauty, with its curved upper lip and dimple in the chin. On her forehead, that the statue has probably already been consecrated. Fig...
Read more

Brahmanism or Hinduism

Brahmanism and Buddhism are two religions from India that were practiced in Cambodia. Before the Christian era, India had four sacred texts, rgveda, yajurveda, sámaveda and later, atharvaveda, which together are named the Veda. Brahmanism is the religious concept derived from these texts. According to Indian philosophy, India is seen as the universe and the great Trimúrti gods, Brahma, Visnu and Siva, represent the three stages of the primitive matter: creation (Brahma), conservation (Visnu) and dissolution (Siva). In the Brahmanic and Buddhist triads found in Khmer art, the supreme god is positioned in the centre. Gods had to be personified for humans to relate to their power. These three gods are the emanations of a unique supreme god and constitute the Trimúrti. The supreme god is sometimes Siva. Visnu and Siva are the more popular Brahmanist gtods; whereas Brahma himself does not seem to have been popular in Khmer art. Certain gods are seen as symbols of India’s n...
Read more

Banteay Srei style

Figure24. Female deity Unknown origin H:57 cm Ka. 800 It is always difficult to distinguish between Banteay Srei and Pre Rup style deities wearing the mukuta. The deities are almost the same size and the decorative details are similar. However, the mukuta can provide some information; while it is sculpted in a conical shape in the Pre Rup style, it looks like a truncated cone in the Banteay Srei style and is decorated with a curling braid and a garland of large pearls(?) at its base. This fashion will remain in subsequent style. Figure25. Female deity Unknown origin H: 67 cm Ka. 681 The third eye one her forehead indicates that this deity is probably Sarasvati, Brahma's sakti. It is almost identical to the previous statue (Ka. 800), which leads us to assume the existence of a school from which these two sculptures come. The museum's restoration team worked at length on this small piece to remove a first layer of paint, under which were found tw...
Read more