Phnom Penh National Museum

Phnom Penh National Museum

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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.

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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 two more layers of paint, one layer of gilt and a layer of lacquer.

The Khmer's traditionally use gilding to confer a sacred meaning to an object.

Figure26. Umamahesvara

Banteay Srei temple, Siem Reap. First western Gopura

H: 60 cm

Ka. 1797 B. 24 B. 43, 1

This small ensemble shows the inseparable couple, Uma and Siva. Uma’s head was most likely stolen in 1970.

The gods wear folded sampots and similar mukuta with identical decorative details. Their diadems are decorated with several rows of serrated designs (kbach kanh chaing), pearls (kbach pong trei), rosettes (kbach phka chan) and stylized lotus petals (kbach trabak chhouk bambek).

Siva is seared with his right knee up, in the so-called ‘Javanese’ position, and holds a stylized trident in his right hand.

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Pre Rup style (947-965)

Figure22. Body of the female deity

Neang Khmao temple, Northern sanctuary, Tonle Bati, Takeo

H: 108 cm

Ka. 1653 B. 195 B. 422, 1

Acquired by the museum on 1 June 1923

The beauty of this torso lies in its beautiful shine, which has been caused by popular belief; people touched the torso in the hope of being blessed.

The way of wearing and draping the sampot is identical to that of the previous style. So are the beauty folds under the breasts.

However, the fold of the sampot is narrower compared to the Koh Ker style and pleats are heavier. The garment is most likely held by a belt that plays a more practical role than in the past.

Figure23. Female deity

Unknown origin

H: 84 cm

Ka. 709

This piece shows a two-armed goddess wearing a mukuta. The mukuta is divided in two sections, the diadem and the chignon cover. The diadem is finely decorated and the conical chignon cover is decorated along four rows. The mukuta worn here is almost identical to that worn by Varuna (Ka. 1579) riding the four hamsa (sacred ganders).

Her smiling expression, straight eyebrows that are continuous and long earlobes give this slender and light-breasted goddess a charming personality.

Most Pre Rup style deities are petite and their hair is always finely decorated.

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Koh Ker style (912-945)

Figure20. Body of female deity

Unknown origin. Property of the Conservation d’Angkor

H: 122cm

Ka. 2987 DCA: 1551

The museum owns only a few female deities from this period. The artistic style of the period is characterized by movement and the colossal appearance of the sculptures.

Massive deities are built with large solid feet to keep their balance. The feet are never sculpted in a realistic manner.

This deity wears a ‘sampot bat’ identical to that worn by goddess Ka.2985 from the Bakheng style. However, the folded edge of the cloth is longer and is as wide as the stomach.

 

Figure21. Body of female deity

Unknown origin. Property of the Conversation d’Angkor

H: 59 cm

Ka. 2959 DCA: 5561

Koh Ker sculptors favor large, wide piece of cloth that hang over the hips.

The flaring movement and the cloth tied at the waist make this Durga’s sampot rather realistic. The fold at the hips indicates how the sampot is held.

The main characteristics of the piece are the shape of the sampot and the frontal and hieratic position.

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