1000 Years of Khmer Sculpture - a summary

(part 2: Angkor to the 11th century)

Angkor period (9th - 15th century)

Compared with the pre-Angkor days, this period is stylistically easier to describe. In the centralist state Angkor clearly distinguishable styles succeed each other in separate periods. In 802 the Khmer monarchy took the classical shape that it would keep during the whole Angkor period: with the consecration of Jayavarman II (ca. 790 - shortly after 830) as a cakravartin (universal monarch) of a number of different kingdoms the decisive step toward absolutism was made.

Kulen style (800 - 875)

A period of expansion begins. The images free themselves of the materials limitations: supporting structures and fortifying connections between the different parts - so typical of so much pre-Angkor work - disappear. The sculptures use the surrounding space freely.
Already in this early Angkor style, we find the typical stylised frontal fold in the shape of a double anchor, and the also hyper-stylised pocket-fold on the left thigh. In the 7th century these were still realistic and logical, but in the Angkor period they turned abstract and purely decorative.
The posture becomes more formal, the protruding hip disappears, so that the images is less benevolent and human, and rather aloof and impressive. The torso is slender but the legs retain the robustness of the earlier period, whereas the rendering of musculature of chest and belly is controlled. The bodily fullness will grow in accentuation, resulting in the firm solidity of the Preah Koh style.
The faces are different than in the pre-Angkor days: the eyes are square, the eyebrows and lips are surrounded by thin, chiselled lines. The moustache stresses the mouth, that is somewhat smiling to the point of becoming arrogant - imperialist selfconfidence.
Even though Jayavarman II was a Shivaite, only Vishnus have been preserved. They were made in a very classical style: standing tall, with four arms holding the traditional attributes and cylindrical mitre. So far (1997) no female images have been found in the Kulen style. Of the whole period 800 - 950 a mere handful of Buddhist images have been found - all of them Buddhas.

The preah Koh style (875 - 900)

Jayavarman IIs second successor, Indravarman (877 - at least 886) built the first Angkor-type city in the Tonly Sap region: Hariharalaya, present-day Roluos. The heart of the city was formed by the first great temple-mountain, the Bakong (881), together with the temples Preak Koh (879) and Lolei (893).
Indravarmans days show a renewed interest in the pre-Angkor iconography and new stylistic criteria. Some of these, like the more solid bodies, can be seen in the context of a continuous evolution. Others, like the transformation of Vishnus cylindrical mitre into an octagonal layered pagoda-like structure, are true mutations. New is also the diadem that outlines the forehead: the design usually consists of two finely chiselled bands, the lower of which is decorated with diamond shapes in a pentagonal crossed arrangement, and the upper one with leaf-motifs alternating with blue lotuses. Parts of the dress, such as the frontal panel and some overhanging flaps, are neatly folded in tiny creases in the Preak Koh style. These creases are sculpted in relief with great precision.

Bakheng style (900 - 925)

The Bakheng style is a clear example of a sudden change in the stylistic evolution. The faces and bodies are stylised to a very high degree. This tendency had already begun since the rule of Yasovarman (889 - begin 10th century). The facial expression is aloof and impersonal, but the discrete smile accentuated by the moustache seems to guarantee at least some benevolence. The lips and almond-shaped eyes - with irises - are outlined by incision. The eyebows form a continuous straight line. All these features are the result of a stylising tendency that the Preah Koh style had already begun. The hairline pointing at the temples and the beard rendered by dots on the cheeks and fine parallel lines under the chin, add to the unrealistic effect.
In the diadems the blue lotus motifs are replaced by small stems. The bodies are standing tall in completely motionlessness. The torsos of both male and female deities have a distinct hourglass-shape.
The dress of both male and female sculptures has a new design: it consists of a completely pleated piece of cloth, not unlike a Scottish kilt. The pleats are sculpted with a perfect regularity, enhancing the sculptures geometry. The female dress has a frontally overhanging hem that partly covers the belt. This belt with pendants, decorated like the diadems, is one of these styles novelties.
Profoundly abstract, cold and aloof, but at the same time noble and stately, the Bakheng style was a splendid expression of Angkors grandeur.

Koh Ker style (925-950)

When Jayavarman IV (921 - 928 - ca. 940) mounted the throne, he preferred his own city Koh Ker as the capital of the Khmer empire. Angkor was abandoned for some 20 yeard and the royal retinue moved 85 km northeast.
In this period Khmer culpture evolved toward monumentality, and iconography diversified. The artists developped a certain vituosity in creating sculpture groups, of which only one is know from the early period. The Bakhengs formalism, geometric priestliness and linear abstraction was replaced by a sense of movement (images of dancers and wrestlers) and a new softness in the modelling, escpecially in the faces that light up with an almost human smile. Also the hairdo is a novelty, structured in horizontal layers of locks.
All these changes are no fundamental shift in perspective, no denial of the past as all too rigid. They are to be seen rather as an enrichment of earlier existing tendencies.

Pre Rup style (950 - 975)

After the short reign of Harsavarman II (ca. 940 - 944), the young king Rajendravarman (944 - 967) reinstalled the kingdom Angkor. He removed the centre to the east, to the area of the temples of Eastern Mebon (953) and Pre Rup (961). The style was named after the latter.
After the return to the old captial sculpture forgot some of the lessons of the Koh Ker style: the loss of movement is clearly visible. Only the softness in the modelling was kept and even accentuated.
The sampot (kilt) is still pleated - but now chiselled rather than sculpted - and keeps its overhanging flap, double anchor and richly decorated diadem. The octagonal pagoda-like headdress is replaced by a conical shape, that will be in vogue until the Angkor Vat period.
Even though this period did not come up with all too many novelties, it still was the witness to a true esthetic revolution, be it originally only in the domain of architectural ornamentation and bas-relief. This revolution is called Banteay Srei.

Banteay Srei (967)

The art of the small temple Banteay Srei (Citadel of Women), 20 km north of Angkor is one of those rare moments when a sparkle of genius rekindles a creative tradition that has nestled itself all too comfortably in the repetition of formulae and that is on the brink of fizzling out.
Actually the style of Banteay Srei is limited to that one temple complex and a few less well preserved contemporary monuments. It is characterised by two contradictory and complementary esthetical tendencies: one is rather traditional and concerns mainly cult-images, that very easily could be taken for Pre Rup or early Khleang pieces. The second, new and even revolutionary tendency is found in the narrating bas-reliefs and the architectural ornamentation, at the same time exuberant and inventive, and always perfectly finished. The reliefs of Banteay Srei excel in a baffling rhythm and lyricism, preserved very well thanks to the outstanding quality of the pink sandstone. The refinement and plastic beauty of all the decorated surfaces is truly unique and rightly lends Banteay Srei its epitaph jewel of the Khmer temples.

Khleang style (975-1000)

A transient style between the art of Pre Rup (the last and already greatly softened manifestation of the priestly spirit of the first Angkor art) and the art of the Baphuon (the heir of Banteay Srei) is the style of Khleang. It flourished during the reign of Jayavarman V (986-1000/1001), a son of Rajendravarman, and the reign of Jayaviravarman (1002-110/1011?).
The architectural ornament of Khleang differs cleary from that of Pre Rup, but not the sculpture. The modelling is visibly more supple and the faces become softer - heralding the later refinements of the Baphuon - but the sculpture never frees itself from a certain rigid frontality and often the faces lack true character.
In a couple of cases the only distinction between Pre Rup and Khleang is the arrangement of the clothes or the decoration of the diadem.
The Khleang period sees the advent of the first Buddha statues seated on the naga (cobra), or Mucilinda, a depiction that will take a central place in the Khmer Buddhist sculptures in the centuries to come. Also other Buddhist depictions, like Prajnaparamita (Transcending Wisdom) and Hevajra (a Tantric depiction of enlightenment) are made in ever growing number.

Baphuon Style (1000 - 1100)

Softness and elegance characterise the Baphuon style. Although new in the full meaning of the word, it was based on the developments of the last 50 years. Different from what the benign style seems to suggest, the 11th century was not all that peaceful. It started with a civil war, followed by several uproars that upset the whole country. In the second half of the century the Khmer lost a war against the Champa. A later conflict - this time at the side of the Champa - with the Vietnamese empire, recently split from China, was not successful either.
The sculptures become a lot smaller. The body is also proportioned differently: the curves are elongated, the shoulder are wide and the waist is slender, a hip may protrude, the msuculature is rendered with care and accurately.
The youthful faces show a clear smile with full lips. The locks of hair are tied (in groups of three) into a slightly spherical bun on the top of the head, kept up at the basis by a string of pearls.
The greatest transformation is found with the clothing. The new fashion has the hips covered in an extremely thin and delicately pleated dress, cut deeply at the front and reaching high in the back, where it is tied with a knot in a delightful butterfly-arrangement.
Buddhist imagery - mainly Buddhas on the naga - again occupy an important position in sculpture. Reliefs from the Baphuon period have lucious floral motifs with deeply cut details, showing narrative scenes.
As the style existed for such a long time, evidenly internal transformations occurred, mainly with the jewellery and the clothing - as for instance the belt that originally was quite simple, later on decorated with ties, still later cut with decorations and finally executed with pendants - whereas the faces kept their characteristic expression during the whole period.