Pre-Angkorian Khmer art
Phnom Da style, 7^th century (?)
Sandstone
188 x 49 x 29 cm
MA 5063

This standing figure represents Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, one of the most venerated deities in the mahayana Buddhist pantheon. He is identifiable thanks to the small "Buddha of the West", visible in the crown. On his forehead is a rather unusual ornamental diadem which may derive from foreign influences. With its slightly swaying posture, and soft, delicately subdued modelling, the work bears the hallmark of Phnom Da art.The nose is long, slender and somewhat aquiline; the hair is treated in pomaded locks that tumble down the figure’s back. He wears a simple dhoti with radiating pleats. The meticulously polished finish of the sculpture, typical of so many Cambodian works, highlights the gentle transitions between the constituent masses of the restrained, unostentatious body. Such refined and detailed treatment of the facial elements, and careful attention to overall execution, could suggest royal patronage.

Struts such as those seen here supporting each arm and ensuring greater stability are found in numerous works in the round from the pre-Angkorian period, when sculpture technique was still at a tentative stage of development.