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Friday, December 24, 2010

Architectural Words by Dararith

Rosette: ក្បាច់ផ្កាចន្ទន៍
Florets: ផ្កាតូចៗ
Scenario lintel: ផ្តែរឿង
Garland:​​​ កម្រងផ្កា
Pendant: ផ្ការំយោល
Foliage branch: ក្បាច់ជួង
Diverging tendril: ក្បាច់ខ្យងហៀនបែមុខចេញក្រៅ​(ក្បាច់ស្លឹកមានរៀងដូចទំពួក)
Tendril: ក្បាច់ខ្យងហៀន
Median: ក្បាច់ពេជ្រ
Decorative motive: ក្បាច់លំអ
Central medallion: ក្បាច់ជួងកណ្តាល
Elegance: ភាពខ្ចង់
Refinement: ភាពរស់រវើក
Ornamentation=decoration=adornment : ការតែងលំអ
Stylized lotus petal motif: ក្បាច់ត្របកឈូក
Diverging ( facing outward ) # converging ( facing inward)​បែមុខចូល
Capital : bracket: ក្បាលសសរ
Shaft : ដងសសរ
Base: ជើងសសរ
Quarter: ¼
Eight points: 1/8
Inverted “U” ​​អក្សរអ៊ុយផ្កាប់​​
Segmented motif : ក្បាច់ខ័ណ្ឌគ្នាជាកង់ៗ
Worshiper : ទេពប្រណម្យ
Curved triangular leaves: ក្បាច់ស្លឹកឈើវែងៗ
Spitting out arches: ខ្ចាក់អាក់ខ្លីៗ
Pearl motif : ក្បាច់ពងត្រី
Raised trunk: ប្រមោយបះទៅលើ
Four paws: ជើងបួន
Vertical # horizontal
Parameter បរិមាត្រ
Concentric : សហភានី​ (Having the same center)
Raised earth levees : ទំនុប, កំផែងដី
Stanza : វាគ, គាថា
Panegyric
Slab :បន្ទះ
Groove: សា្នម​លក, ចង្អួរ
 A string of bell : ចង្រង់
Blind Arches:​​​ អ័ក្សខ្លីៗ
Central motif: ក្បាច់លំអកណ្តាល
Serpent collar: ខ្សែសង្វារជាសត្វពស់

Monday, December 13, 2010

Lintels Of Pre-Angkor Period

Lintels of the decorative style of Sombor Prei Kuk are displayed in Hall A of the sounthern portico. No lintels illustrating the style of Phnom Dā have been found.
 The lintels on display have been classified into two types.
The various parts of the lintel are described by number below:

Lintel Sections

1.     Foliage branch
2.     Central medallion
3.     Quartile or secondary medallions
4.     Foliage branch extremities
5.     Pseud-tympanum
6.     Part above foliage branch
7.     Upper frieze
8.     Band
9.     Brackets
The decorative motifs of these nine parts vary according to the style of the lintel.
Two Types of Lintel
In general it is possible to distinguish two types of lintel, the plant decor lintel (first type) and lintel depicting a scene (second type).
The entire surface of the second type of lintel is usually covered with images.
The lintels are displayed in pairs, as in the other halls of the porticos.
Hall A
174. k> 1743  Lintel
VIIth Century
Temple de Bora, Thalabarvat, Stung Treng
L: 250 cm
C: 141 C: 30.26
This lintel is of the first type. The central motif is a standing Garuda carrying a nāga in both hands. The two edges of the foliage branch end in two converging makara (mythical animal with the power to make ships sink) swallowing or spitting out arches. Each blind are is decorated with two rows of peal motifs and a rosette. There are garlands and pendants on the pseudo-tympanum. Each makara has a raised trunk, two tusks, large eyes, short body, long tail like a crocodile and four paws. Its neck is adorned with a string of bell. Its teeth resemble those of a buffalo. The Garuda wears a can kpin sampot with a drape in the front.
175. k> 1748  Lintel
VIIth Century
Sambor Prei Kuk, Kompong Thom
L: 283.8 cm
C: 131 C: 30.24
The foliage branches of this lintel are composed of four blind arches. The central motif central is a standing Garuda holding a pendant in his left hand. The decorative motifs of the secondary medallions are also standing Garuda. The edge of the foliage branch shows fighting between Garuda and Nāgarāja[1].
The pseudo-tympanum depicts a group of musicians and a dancing Śiva (below the central medallion). He is recognizable due to his third eye serpent collar. The brackets are adorned with heads of beasts.

Note that the divergent makara of the lintel in this style are a rare depiction.

176. k> 1516  Small Column
VIIth Century
Wat Choeng Kandal
Phnom Penh, Kandal
H: 159.6 cm
C: 3  C: 31.3
Small colomns are used to support lintels. Most of the columns of the Sambor Prei Kuk and Prei Khmeng styles are round.
Each column is divided into three sections: the capital, shaft and base. The capital is adorned with a bulb, typical motif of the Sambor Prei Kuk style. The base is decorated with garlands and pendants. The shaft is smooth and decorated with a median or central decoration and a ring of ribbing at the upper and lower quarter points.

Hall B
 177. k> 1761 Buffalo-Shaped Yonī
VIIth - VIIth Century
Phnom Dā, Angkor Borei, Takeo
Diameter: 207 cm
C: 167  C: 21.5
This object highlighs the artist's skill at stylizing a circular piece in the shape of a buffalo. The yaksa (incarnated as a buffalo) was the enemy of Durgā. Durgā kills the enemy and we can then deduce that this piece represents Durgā.
178. k> 2101  Lintel Supported with Columns
VIIth  Century
Origin unknown
L: 128.3 cm 
No former numbers

In the Prei Khmeng style the foliage branch is straight. The ornamentation of the central and quartile medallions and of the edges of the foliage branch are florets. The pseudo-tympanum ha the same ornamentaion as in the Sambor Prei Kuk style. Some lintels in this style are scenario lintels. The brackets are adorned with rosettes.
179. k> 1789 Lintel with Reclining Visnu Scene
Late VIIth Century
Tuol Ang, Kompong Speu
L: 220.2 cm 
C: 173  C: 30.29

This lintel depicts Visnu reclining on a seven-headed nāga on the ocean. When he lies down, a lotus grows from his navel. The Brahma is seated on this lotus. The ocean is represented by wavy relief work. There are various fish in the ocean, in addition to two makara. The first makara is located to the right of Visnu and the other below the nāga's head.

The four-armed Visnu's lower right hand lies against his body.
The upper right hand holds stem. His head cylindrical mukuta rests on the upper left hand. The palm of the lower left hand is opened and holds the head of the nāga. The motifs of the edges of the foliage branch are large florests. The flower decorations on the central medallion or on the lintel quartiles are replaced by figures in certain lintels of this style.

Western Portico

Hall A

180. k> 1793 Lintel
VIIIth Century
Wat Kompong Chhang, Baribor, Kompong Chhang
L: 185 cm 
C: 15  C: 30.1

This lintel is in the Kompong Preah style (706-800). Its foliage branch transforms itself into an arched and segmented line. On either side of this branch, the upper section ends with leaves and the lower section tendrils.
 The ends of the foliage branch are leaves with diverging tendrils.
This lintel does not have medallions at the quarter points.




Khmer Art.  M.  Giteau and D. Guéret. p. 49 

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Hindu Trimurti

81. k> 718 Hindu Trimūrti
Beginning of the  XIth Century
Angkor Conservation, Siem Reap
H: 81.3 cm
No former number



This Śiva divinity has three busts representing the trinity of the three most important Hindu deities.

The main figure is Śiva, who has five heads arranged in two rows.  The first row has four heads while the second one has only one. The upper head wears a diadem. Its chignon is identical of  Brahma ¬k>1669) and is adorned with a small crescent moon. Each of the faces has the third eye in the center of the forehead.
The two upper hands are clasped to the chest. The eight other arms are small and freestanding. The sampot has a large folded edge.

Under its arms, to the right, one of the hands of Brahma appears to be holding a vase. To the left, Visnu apprears to be holding a sphere but the object is inditinguishable.

Śiva is carrying Brahma on his right hip and Visnu on his left. The two figures melt into Śiva's sampot. Brahma has one head and four arms. His lower right hand appears to be holding a spoon, while another hand, which rests on Śiva's back seems to be clasping a book.

Visnu's right hand (whereabouts of head unknown) rests on Śiva's back and appears to be holding a sphere. Brahma and Visnu are also wearing sampots.

This masterpiece illustrates the axis of symmetry, the vertical line that passes through Śiva's third eye and navel, which is a principle of Khmer art.



Vishnu God by Dararith

140.K>5387  Reclining Visnu
Second half of the XIth Century 
Western Prasat Mebon, Siem Reap
H: 121.8 cm
E: 1230  E/1  30.8 


Fragments of this statue were found in 1936 during excavations of a platform of the Western Mebon temple and were brought to the National Museum on December 1, 1950.

This deity is a testimony to the talent of Khmer artists in the production of monumental bronze statues.

Two lintels (k>1789, k>2097) of the Prei Khméng style displayed in the portico on the western side of the Museum edifice depict Visnu reclining on the ocean on the nāga known as Śeśa. Brahma is seated on a lotus flower that grows from visnu's navel. He is the preserver of the world.


The stern facial expression and the head resting on the hand highlight his determination at the moment when he saves the world.

This work illustrates two fundamental points:
-      the art of inlaying the eyes with precious stones that we have already seen in the Baphuon style Śiva (k>1682)
-      the accessories that include armbands,  bracelets and pectoral collar.

This pectoral collar is round and has a large rosette in the center. It is decorated with pendants in the back. The surface is decorated with pairs of oval motifs.

These charateristics are typical to the Baphuon style but were also popular in the Angkor Wat style.


The Museum Of Cambodia

By Ek Chandararith 
    Construction of  the National Museum building began in 1917 on the grounds of the fomer école des Arts Cambodians (School of Cambodian Arts). An official inauguration ceremony was held on 13 April 1920, the first day of the Khmer New Year. King Sisowath issued a royal decree naming it the Musée Albert Sarraut in honor of the French Governor-General of Indochina. The original purpose of the museum was to provide a central place for the storage, protection and display of Cambodia's artistic, historic, and archaeological treasures. The French controlled all museum operations until 1966 when the museum was placed under the authority of the Cambodian government, and became known as the National Museum of Cambodia. The first Cambodian director Mr Chea Thay Seng was appointed to head all museum affairs in 1966.    
            The museum building was designed by the eminent French historian, George Groslier, and incorporates a wide range of traditional Khmer architectural elements. The massive wooden entry doors and window shutters were designed by professors and students from the Ècole des Arts Cambodgiens who style their ornamental carvings after those found on Angkor-period temples. The insides of the window shutters in the Entrance of the Gallery were painted with scenes from the Reamker ( the Khmer version of the Hindu epic Ramayana) and other traditional Khmer stories.    
            During the years of civil war in the early 1970's, many objects from provincial museums were brought to the National Museum for safekeeping. During the period of Khmer Rouge control (1975-79), the museum was abandoned and its entire staff was forced to evacuate Phnom Penh along with the rest of the city's residents.    
            The museum suffered greatly due to neglect during this time. After the liberation of Phnom Penh on 7 January 1979, the museum was found in a state of disrepair with a rotted roof, overgrown courtyard and scultures scattered in disarray. The museum was tidied up and officially reopened to the public on 13 Aril1979.    
            Over the past two decades, the National Museum, with the support of several foreign governments and organisations(esp. Australia, Franch and UNESCO), has seen gradual progress in restoring the museum building and its collection. However, major obstacles still remain which hinder attempts to bring the National Museum up to international standards. The two main sources of these obstacles are :    
            1-a serious lack of funding to support necessary projects.    
            2-a dire shortage of museum professional on staff. It is hoped that these obstacles can be overcome with the support of compassionate members of the international community who understand the importance of preserving Khmer culture.    
GALLERY 1: Bronzes  
            Use of bronze-casting began in Cambodia sometime between 1,500 and 1,000BC. It is widely assumed that this technology was introduced to Southeast Asia through contact with the Chinese, but the possibility of independent development of bronze casting in Southeast Asia has yet to be conclusively rule out. Whatever the case, bronze- casting had become a major industry throughout  mainland Southeast Asian by 500BC- at which time bronze  was used to make a wide range of tools, weapons,ritual objects and ornaments. Examples of prehistoric Khmer bronze working can be found in Gallery 4.    
            After Indian political and religious idea began permeating Cambodia(around the time of Christ),a tradition of casting bronze Hindu and Buddhist divinities emerged. This tradition reached its pinnacle of output and skill during the Angkor period. The large bronze figure of the Reclining Visnu (late 11th century) demonstrates the  level of mastery which Khmer bronze artists achieved. The museum's Bronze Gallery contains bronzes dating from the 7th to 20th century AD. Beside the objects which were made in veneration of religious divinities, the other types of bronzes on display can be divided into two categories: ritual objects and secular goods.Many of ritual objects in the collection, including popils( stulised candle holders), bells, bowls and conches for ritual water, are still used in a variety of Khmer ceremonies today. Many of the secular goods are objects which would have been bestowed by the royal court as insignia of rank for officials. These include hooks for palanquins, gilded rings from the handles of parasols,fans,and military or official seals.    
CRONOLOGY OF ART  
STYLE  
Pre-Angkor    
1-Phnom Da Style     
c.540-600    
2-Sambor Prei Kuk    
 c.600-650    
3-Prei Khmeng Style    
c.635-700    
4-Prasat Andet Style     
c.690-700    
5-Kampong Preah Style    
c.706-800    
ANGKOR    
1-Kulen,c.825-875    
2-Preah Ko,c.875-893    
3-Bakheng,c.893-925    
4-Koh Ker,c.921-945    
5-Pre Rup,c.947-965    
6-Banteay Srei,c.967-1000    
7-Kleang,c.965-1010    
8-Baphuon,c1010-1080    
9-Angkor Wat , c.1100-1175    
10-Bayon,c.1180-1230    
POST-ANGKOR    
Post-Angkorian Style:    
14th century-present    
    
Gallery2-3: Sculture  
                                    PRE-ANGKOR   
            The oldest known Khmer stone scultures date to the early 6th century and were found in cave temples which were carved into the side of Phnom Da, a small hill near Angkor Borei. Angkor Borei,today a small town in the Mekong Delta region, was a major city-centre within what is thought to have been the first large-scale centralised  Khmer State(c.1st-6th century;often called Funan as it was denoted in Chinese annals of the period).    
            The Phnom Da scultures were carved from single blocks of fine - grained sanstone and depict both Buddhist and Hindu divinities. Although the sculptures reveal traditional Indian stylistic influences, one can also see that the Khmer artists strove to break away from their mentors. Moving away from the Indian tradition of the sculpting in the high-relief,the Khmers attempted to make free-standing statues, supported by an arch or by an attribute of the divinity( such as a piece of clothing or a hand-held object).    
            In the 7th and 8th centuries, the power base shifted north to the plains east of the Tonle Sap lake.Funan's dominance ended when king Isanavarman I established the first capital of this new power centre (called Zhenla) at Isanapura(Sambor) in present day Kompong Thom province. In the 8th century,Zhenla was divided  into two competing powers, Land Zhenla and Water Zhenla. This situation remained until Jayavarman II set up a capital on Mount  Mahendrapura(Phnom Kulen) in the Angkor region in 802 and successfully unified the Khmer people.    
            The majority of the sculptures from Zhenla and Funan depict Visnu,while another popular deity,Shiva, is usually symbolised by a Linga ( a stone phallus). Pre-angkorian sculptors often combined these two Hindu divinities into one deity, called Harrihara. Statues of Buddha and other Buddhist divinities were also  popular with pre-Angkorian artists of both Funan and Zhenla. The Zhenla period saw an increase in relief carvings on stone lintels and pediments.    
                                    ANGKOR  
            Cambodia is rich in sandstone deposits. Throughout the Angkorian period, sandstone was quarried from the Kulen hills(to the north of Angkor) and floated on the rafts along rivers and canals  to the building sites.    
            The first recognisable art style of the Angkorian period is the Kulen style(c.825-75),named after the hill on which JayavarmanII    built his capital  and had his royal consecration ceremony initiating the cult  of the Devaraja(god-king) which would be allowed by all subsequent Angkorian kings.This style was the first to dispense with supporting arches- as a result the figures became heavier. The body is sculpted rigidly upright with distinctive Khmer features- round faces and broad brows.    
    
Koh Ker style (941-944) shows another interesting development with gigantic figures- human and animal,captured in dynamic movement. The Wrestlers and Monkey kings, Valin and Sugriva, are good examples of this style. In contrast, the Banteay Srei style of the late 10th century is unique in the intricacy and richness of the decoration, and the warm tones of the pink sanstone.    
            The statues of the Baphuon style (1010-1080) are slim and gracful. This was made possible by adding subtle supports behind the ankles. The eyes are often incised and they may have been fitted with gems and precious metals.     
            The Angkor Wat style (1100-1175) presents the highest achievements in architecture and ornamentation of buildings and bas-reliefs. Besides the world famous Angkor Wat temple, Phimai temple (in Thailand) was also constructed during this period .Sculted figures are upright, muscular and formal, and are prominently adorned with ornate belts and jewelled necklaces and bracelets.    
            The Bayon style of late 12th to early 13th century,produced a great number of Buddhist images due to the  religious preference of king JayavarmanVII. Still highly revered today as one of the greatest Khmer kings, JayavarmanVII, although a devout Buddhist, was tolerant of other religious as evidenced by the combination of Hindu and Buddhist symbols n Bayon art. An example of this is the portrayal of Buddha wearing a diadem(ornamented crown) similar to that normally worn by Visnu. The intention was to portray the Buddha as a powerful universal monarch in keeping with the contemporary images of Hindu gods. Another defining aspect of the Bayon style is the development of portraiture-particularly the portrayal of royalty in the guise of Buddhist deities.    
Post-Angkor  
            Not long after the end of  Jayavarman VII's reign, stone art production and monumental temple building become almost non-existent in Khmer culture. With the widespread conversion to Theravada Buddhism(c.15th century),wood becomes the primary medium for Khmer culture. Although wood would have certainly been used for statues since pre-Angkorian times, due to its susceptibility to rapid decay , only a small number of wood statues have survived from the late Angkorian period.    
            In post-Angkorian wood sculture,artists began applying one or two players of lacquer which played a decorative as well as protectiv role. Also during this period, artists developed the technique of  decorating wood figures with encrusted ornaments -frequently using ivory , mother-of -pearl, or vitrified lead inlays. Most of the wooden statues in tthe museum's collection were  carved in the last few centuries. One can see Thai influences in many of the Post- Angkorian works    
GALLERY 4:Ethnography   
            The museum contains a variety of ethnographic objects dating from the last two centuries. One of the most impressive items is the royal boat cabin which was carved from hard koki wood. Another royal treasure is the royal incineration urn which was donated to the museum following the cremation ceremony of king Norodom Suramarit. Also in this gallery, one finds loom and  weaving utensils,religious furniture, elephant howdahs,and a number of  other traditional Khmer craft items.    
Gallery 4: Ceramics  
            Recent archaeological excavations at Angkor Borei (in southern Cambodia) have recovered a large number of ceramics, some of which probably date back to the prehistoric period. Most of the pottery, however, dates to the pre-Angkorian period and consists mainly of pinkish  terracotta pots which were either hand-made or thrown on a wheel, and then decorated with incised patterns.    
            Glazed wares first appear in the archaeological record at the end of the 9th century at the Roluos temple group in the  Angkor region, where green-glazed pot shards have been found. A brown glaze became popular at beginning of the 11th century and brown-glazed wares have been found in abundance at Kher sites in northeast Thailand. Decorating pottery with animal forms was a popular style from the 11th to 13th century. Archaeological excavations in the Angkor region have revealed that  towards the end of Angkor period production of indigenous pottery declined while there was a dramatic increase in Chinese ceramic imports.    
            Direct evidence of the  shapes of vessels is provided by scenes depicted on the bas-reliefs at Khmer temples, which also offer insight into domestic and ritualistic uses  of the wares. The wide range of utilitarian shapes suggest the Khmers used ceramics in their daily life for cooking, food preservation, carrying and storing liquids, as containers for medicinal herbs,perfumes and cosmetics.    
GALLERY 4:Prehistory  
            Just beyond the ceramic gallery , one finds an assortment of prehistoric objects. Because there has  been relatively little research into the distant past of Cambodia, precise dating and provenance for most of these objects is unknown. Several prehistoric sites are known in Cambodia(inc.Samrong Sen, Anlong Phdao, Melou Prei, and Laang Spean). It is believed that many more  prehistoric sites exist, but  have yet to be discovered.    
            In this gallery one finds ancient stone and bronze tools and weapons, enigmatic bronze drums similar to those found at  the Dong Son site in Vietnam(thought to be used in rain and war ceremonies),and some ancient ceramics. Current archaeological research into Cambodia's extensive prehistory will no doubt provide better insight into  the lives of the people who made these objects, and  give us a more concrete time-frame for their dates of manufacture.