Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
period: a sandstone statue of Shiva holding Uma, his wife, on his knee. Sadly, Uma's head
was stolen some time during Cambodia's turbulent years. The Baphuon style of the 11th
century was inspired to a certain extent by the sculpture of Banteay Srei, producing some
of the finest works to have survived today.
The statuary of the Angkor Wat period is felt to be conservative and stilted, lacking the
grace of earlier work. The genius of this period manifests itself more clearly in the im-
mense architecture and incredible bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat itself.
The final high point in Angkorian sculpture is the Bayon period from the end of the
12th century to the beginning of the 13th century. In the National Museum, look for the
superb representation of Jayavarman VII, an image that projects both great power and
sublime tranquility.
As the state religion swung back and forth between Mahayana Buddhism and Hinduism
during the turbulent 13th and 14th centuries, Buddha images and Bodhisattvas were
carved only to be hacked out by militant Hindus on their return to power. By the 15th cen-
tury, stone was generally replaced by wood and polychrome as the material of choice for
Buddha statues. A beautiful gallery of post-16th-century Buddhas from around Angkor is
on display in the National Museum.
Cambodian sculptors are rediscovering their skills now that there is a ready market
among visitors for reproduction stone carvings of famous statues and busts from the time
of Angkor.
