Khmer Sandstone Figure of Uma

SKU: HQ.0083

Origin: Cambodia
Circa: Baphuon Style, 10th - 11th Century AD
Dimensions: 34.5" h x 9" w (87.6cm x 22.85cm) excluding base
Medium: Sandstone

Of elegant elongated proportion, with broad rounded shoulders and a pinched waist, this exceptional statuesque figure of the Goddess Uma represents Baphuon style at it's finest.  Our example displays great sensitivity in the rendering of the female body which, combined with the delicate carving in the face, hair, and adornments creates a breathtaking effect. The tall, pillar like body exudes a sense of grace, power, and majesty.  While the stoic expression and quiet humility of the gaze produces an aura of poise and tranquility.  The goddess is sparsely dressed in a long sampot with a pendent fish-tail pleat that is secured with a simple belt. The serene face features a wide mouth, heavy-lidded eyes, and hair which is finely delineated. The locks are arranged in a tight bun which rests on top of the head and is secured with a headband.

Acquired on the French Art Market 1985, private collection Singapore, private collection Southeast USA

Fine condition with surface wear and losses to bosom, skirt, and face. Both arms missing below the shoulder, feet missing.

Drawing on the developments of the previous half-century, the art of the Baphuon period, corresponding roughly to the second half of the eleventh century, introduced a number of new elements and refinements. The wide, muscular torsos of the previous century are replaced with rounded shoulders and a narrow waist, with curved hips emphasized by the hem of the sampot, which is pulled up over the hips in a U-shape. The folds of the sampot during the Baphuon fall in asymmetrical pleats, emphasizing the multiple layers of the garment, while the knots at the waist often tail off in scrolling embellishments.

Lee, Sherman E., Ancient Cambodian Sculpture, 1969, p. 105 - 106

ENQUIRY FORM

Southeast Asian

Khmer Sandstone Figure of Uma

Southeast Asian

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