Khmers art : sculptures and bas-reliefs

From the trip to Angkor, I start to appreciate the beauty of Khmers art in particular its sculptures and bas-reliefs.  When the Frenchmen rediscovered Angkor Wat in the tropical forest, they were surprised to find the magnificent stone architecture full of sculptures and bas-reliefs that they could not comprehend.  After decades of studies by archaeologists and historians, they now understand that Khmers art and architecture had evolved more than ten centuries of development to reach its peak in the 12th to 14th Century A.D.

Instead of marble, Cambodia has abundant supply of sandstone.  Skillful Khmers craftsmen had made use of high quality pink and black sandstone and turned them into some of the master pieces of Khmers art.  Early in the Cambodian history, Indian sea traders had came to do business with Khmers.  They also introduced their religion and culture to the locals.  Thus, we can find many Khmers sculptures and bas-reliefs about Brahma religion and stories.  

(The whole Banteay Srei was built by pink sandstone and volcanic stone) 

(Beautiful bas-relief on pink sandstone of over 12 centuries old)

Most of the historical Khmers temples were commissioned by kings and nobles for religious and political purposes.  Sculptures and bas-reliefs were used to communicate the Khmers beliefs and messages.  Besides the Hindu gods and later Buddha, many of the Khmers temples were richly decorated with apsaras. 

(Apsaras at the entrance of Angkor Wat)

(Apsaras at the Ta Prohm temple)

(Goddess in the wall of  Banteay Srei) 

In Angkor Wat and Bayon, there are beautiful stone bas-reliefs in their walled galleries.  These bas-reliefs communicated not only the religion stories and the victories of their Khmers kings, they also demonstrated aspects of Khmers life.

(Epics of the Battle of Lanka)

(Khmers soldiers going for war together with war elephants)

(Khmers hunters and fishmen)

If you are also interested in the Khmers art, you should not miss the Angkor Museum and the National Museum in Phnom Penh.  In case you are not in Cambodia, you can read Jessup. Helen Ibbitson and Thierry Zephir (ed.). Sculpture of Angkor and ancient Cambodia millennium of glory. London: Thames and Hudson, 1997.  This book can show you some of the master pieces of Khmers art kept in Cambodia, France and USA.