Metal Description

As well as the abundant and universally admired of stone sculptures, the ancient Khmer created Bronze objects, most of them Buddhist and Hindu divinities for the main religions or objects used in daily life. Jean Boisselier noted that, “The oldest records indicate the presence of Buddhism in Funan did not date not earlier than the Vth century.” This provides us with an earliest date in Khmer art history - we do not find bronze Buddhist or Brahmanist divinities that pre-date the Vth century. As it was probably difficult to carve a small figure with multiple arms in stone, the ancient Khmer preferred to cast them in bronze. The study of bronze work is complementary to the study of stone sculptures, as we do not find some statues like the Hevajra (Tantric Buddhist divinity) or Maitreya (Buddha of the Future) carved in stone. The bronze pieces come in different colors dependent on the chemical composition of materials used which include: gold, silver, copper, zinc, mercury, pewter, iron, lead and bismuth. In the pre-Angkorian period, there are some Buddhist statues make from stone and bronze that manifest Indian influences by the sway of the hips and the knees. Georges Groslier once described them as ‘Greco-Gupta’ statues because they possess some characteristics from both Greek and Indian art.

STANDING ADORNED BUDDHA

Material: Bronze

Dimensions: H: 79 cm

Date: late XIth - early XIIth century

Provenance: North Library, third enclosure, Angkor Wat (Siem Reap)

Collection: National Museum of Cambodia,

Phnom Penh

Ga.2081

There were two branches of Buddhism in practised in ancient Cambodia: Hinayana the ‘Lesser Vehicle’ and Mahayana the ‘Greater Vehicle’.

Hinayana Buddhism believes in a single Buddha (Bodhisattva) who has reached Enlightenment.

Mahayana Buddhism believes in the existence of many Bodhisattva who have not yet reached Enlightenment. They are represented by Lokesvara or Prajnaparamita.

Today, Cambodia practices Theravada Buddhism based on the Pali text of the Tripitaka (the Three Gems of the Buddha).

According to traditions, there were Five Buddha called the historical Buddha. Among them, were four who reached Enlightenment. The last one, was the Buddha Gautama. This fifth Buddha has not yet reached Enlightenment. His name is Maitreya (Buddha of the Future).

This splendid figure represents a standing adorned Buddha, because of its specific characteristics described earlier for the Standing Buddha (no. 1).

Since the Angkor period, ancient Khmer artists decorated both Buddhist and Brahmanist divinities in stone with royal attributes.

The draping of the monastic robes for this Buddha is in the ‘khlum’ style.

As supreme knowledge (Enlightenment) is represented by the luminosity of the body of the Buddha, monastic robes appear thin and cling closely to the body so we can clearly see the chest, abdomen, navel and form of the legs. The panels projecting either side of the body represent the uttarasanga. The lower part on the ankles represents the lower edge of the antaravasaka. This under-cloth passes over the abdomen and is tied with a stylized waistband, showing a central pleat (between the legs). The waistband is large and decorated with three rosettes (in front) bordered with pendants. Each pendant is in a half-petalled lotus form.

The rosettes and the pendants are typical Khmer motifs based on three fundamental shapes of the lotus flower that symbolize the purification of life and happiness.

The form of the pectoral collar is very similar to that of Visnu (no. 2), which proves the continuation of the Khmer ornaments from the XIth century to XIIth century. The knot of this collar (at the back) is in the form of a stylized rosette with three pendants.

The forearms are broken. The Buddha would have been depicted reaching forward in the ‘dispelling fear’ gesture (Abhaya mudra). The top of the mitre (mukuta) is broken. The diadem is large and decorated with very fine patterns. He has long earlobes with pendants (each pendant is made up of two lotus buds, one above the other, the upper one in full flower). The armband is decorated with a rosette.

The toes are of unequal length and the draping of the antaravasaka (the upper edge rises above the lower back, while leaving the abdomen exposed) is a characteristic of the Baphuon style (11th century); this statue can be dated in the end of 11th century or the beginning of 12th century. The semi-smiling expression of the face expresses serenity and compassion.

© 2018 សារមន្ទីរជាតិកម្ពុជា National Museum of Cambodia