Date: Circa 18th century
Geography: Cambodia
Dimensions: 21.5cm H x 10cm W x 9cm D
Weight: 1.854kg
Material: Bronze
Condition: Shows visible signs of age, with several small casting holes and pits, and areas of natural surface oxidation (patina) that add to its historical character. Please see photos.
This hand-cast bronze statue depicts Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, in the Khmer Bayon style of Cambodia. Within the Hindu trinity (Trimurti), Brahma is the Creator, alongside Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer. He also holds a place in Buddhist tradition as a protector deity.
The seated posture, intricate headdress and serene expression are hallmarks of the Bayon style, named after the great temple at Angkor built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. This style, celebrated for its calm yet powerful aesthetic, continued to inspire Cambodian artists for centuries afterwards.
Brahma is traditionally shown with four faces (Chaturmukha) looking towards the four directions, symbolising his all-seeing wisdom. In Hindu tradition, the four faces are associated with the four Vedas, the most sacred scriptures: the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda.
This figure has eight arms, representing supreme power and cosmic authority. The hands hold a range of symbolic objects:
Discus (chakra): the cycle of time and cosmic order
Staff or sceptre (danda): authority
Ladle (sruk or sruva): used in yajna, the sacred fire ritual
Conch shell: the primordial sound of creation, “Om”
Book of the Vedas: sacred knowledge
Water pot (kamandalu): the cosmic waters from which creation emerges
The lower hands form two gestures of divine grace: the right hand in Abhaya Mudra, palm facing outward, offering protection and fearlessness, and the left in Varada Mudra, palm outward with fingers pointing down, granting blessings. The figure also wears a detailed necklace, and the belt is fastened with a decorative flower buckle.
As with all our antique pieces, this statue is one of a kind, and natural variations in patina, casting texture and surface wear should be expected as part of its authentic character and history. Dimensions and weight are approximate.
Date: Circa 18th century
Geography: Cambodia
Dimensions: 21.5cm H x 10cm W x 9cm D
Weight: 1.854kg
Material: Bronze
Condition: Shows visible signs of age, with several small casting holes and pits, and areas of natural surface oxidation (patina) that add to its historical character. Please see photos.
This hand-cast bronze statue depicts Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, in the Khmer Bayon style of Cambodia. Within the Hindu trinity (Trimurti), Brahma is the Creator, alongside Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer. He also holds a place in Buddhist tradition as a protector deity.
The seated posture, intricate headdress and serene expression are hallmarks of the Bayon style, named after the great temple at Angkor built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. This style, celebrated for its calm yet powerful aesthetic, continued to inspire Cambodian artists for centuries afterwards.
Brahma is traditionally shown with four faces (Chaturmukha) looking towards the four directions, symbolising his all-seeing wisdom. In Hindu tradition, the four faces are associated with the four Vedas, the most sacred scriptures: the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda.
This figure has eight arms, representing supreme power and cosmic authority. The hands hold a range of symbolic objects:
Discus (chakra): the cycle of time and cosmic order
Staff or sceptre (danda): authority
Ladle (sruk or sruva): used in yajna, the sacred fire ritual
Conch shell: the primordial sound of creation, “Om”
Book of the Vedas: sacred knowledge
Water pot (kamandalu): the cosmic waters from which creation emerges
The lower hands form two gestures of divine grace: the right hand in Abhaya Mudra, palm facing outward, offering protection and fearlessness, and the left in Varada Mudra, palm outward with fingers pointing down, granting blessings. The figure also wears a detailed necklace, and the belt is fastened with a decorative flower buckle.
As with all our antique pieces, this statue is one of a kind, and natural variations in patina, casting texture and surface wear should be expected as part of its authentic character and history. Dimensions and weight are approximate.
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