Untitled

Unknown

mid-11th century · Sandstone · Asian Art

This four-armed male deity has a high chignon of coiled dreadlocks (jatamukuta) secured with a jeweled band, a moustache, and a bearded chin. He wears a pleated waist-skirt (sampot), a portion of which is drawn between the thighs and knotted behind. Five pleats are formed by the folding of the garment in front, and a jeweled belt sash helps to secure it. This figure likely formed the centerpiece of a triad in a chapel of an unidentified temple in the vicinity of Angkor Thom. Its style relates to sculptures recorded from the Baphuon temple, a monumental step-pyramid dedicated to Shiva, built as the state temple by King Udayadityavarman II (r. 1050–66). Deaccessioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art for return to the Kingdom of Cambodia, 2023

Artist

Unknown

Date

mid-11th century

Medium

Sandstone

Culture

Cambodia

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Margery and Harry Kahn, 1987