Head of a Buddha
Unknown Artist
ca. 9th century (?)
Medium
Stone with remains of lacquer gilding
Dimensions
6 1/4 x 4 in. (15.9 x 10.2 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
Cambodia
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Frank Vincent, 1885
Accession Number
85.11.11
Tags
Art Historical Context
This serene *Head of a Buddha*, from stone in Cambodia around the 9th century captures the essence of early Khmer artistic devotion. Measuring just 6¼ x 4 inches, the compact sculpture originally formed part of a larger figure, its smooth contours and subtle modeling evoking the Buddha's tranquil wisdom. Traces of lacquer ging remain, a technique where layers of lacquer were applied and gilded with gold leaf, lending a radiant glow that symbolized enlightenment and divine purity—common in Southeast Asian Buddhist art to make sacred images shimmer like the sun. Hailing from the Khmer Empire's ...