Sculpture of Angkor and Ancient Cambodia

Book excerpt: The thousand-year artistic legacy of Cambodia includes some of the world's mostbeautiful works of art and architecture. This richly illustrated volume, published to coincide with an exhibition organized by the National Gallery of Art and the Réunion des Musées Nationnaux, examines the powerful and original Khmer culture that flourished on the mainland of Southeast Asia between 600 and 1600 A.D. Centered on the northern shores of Cambodia's Great Lake, the Tonle Sap, and extending westward into eastern Thailand, the civilization reached its apogee in the early twelfth century with the construction of the Temple of Angkor. Embracing both Buddhist and Hindu traditions, the sculpture ranges from monumental works in sandstone representing gods and goddesses, guardians, female dancers, and legendary creatures, to refined ritual and ceremonial bronzes. Essays by an international group of scholars together with narrative discussions of each of the works illustrated provide a fascinating introduction to a culture that is still relatively unknown.