Khmer Art
The earliest confirmed dating of Khmer stone sculptures is to the beginning of the 7th century. It is likely that metal-casting and woodcarving would also have been well established by that time.
Stone sculptures are usually dated by comparing them with the carving on temples which often bear inscriptions and dates. The styles of art are usually defined by variations in key features such as costume, hairstyle, jewellery and the modeling of the body.
Early art forms display some details copied from Indian models, but these son evolved due to Khmer interpretation and inspiration.
Pre-angkorian art of the 7th to 9th century, is characterized by a relaxed, natural style without excessive formal restrictions.
Classical Khmer art between the 9th and 13th century become more formal and stylized Emphasis is placed on power and control.
The difference between styles may reflect the differing ambitions and the personality of the ruling king. The Bayon style, of the late 12th and early 13th century, under the Buddhist King, Jayavarman VII, reflects the king’s religious persuasion with sculptures expressing meditative power and concentration.
Post-Bayon art is influenced by the expanding Thai Kingdoms.
Styles of Khmer art overlap and coexist. Sculptors working away from the capital may have been shielded from the strict rules governing the art of that time, allowing them local innovations and variations. Within a style, characteristics may differ between the free-standing statues and those carved on temples.
The majority of statues were carved from a variety of sand stones, ranging in texture and colour.
By comparison, Khmer bronzes are far more detailed in the portrayal of images than those carved in stone.
 The style of Phnom Da has previously beed dated to the second half of the 6th century. However, recent studies on stylistic continuity indicate it may date from the 7th century.
This large statue of Vishnu with eight arms stands in a fixed frontal position which imposes a sense of grandeur. The supporting arch is used to provide stability.
His hair is arranged in tiers of ringlets spread across the nape of his neck. This hairstyle and hingh cylindrical mitre are of Indian origin. The ringlet of hair between the forhead and the mitre is characteristic of 7th century sculpture.
The sampot (loincloth) is simple and worn low on the hips. The sampot is usually worn with the end of the material pulled between the legs and tucked in at the waist.
Sambor Prei Kuk was the site of the per-angkor time. The influence of Sambor Prei Kuk art spread throughout Cambodia.
The Lady of Koh Krieng is related is to Sambor Prei Kuk style. The torso of Dura in the museum is a more typical example of this stlye.
The Lady of Koh Krieng has an upright stance without the ‘sway-hip’ which is common in the pre-angkorian style. She has realistically modeled body with ’beauty fold’ under her breasts.
Her face is oval with direct eyes and the hair style is high and ornate, giving this woman an air of grandeur and confidence.
The skirt clings and reveals the form of her body. It is held by a belt which which has been inspired by Indian designs.
 This period was critical in Cambodia history as rival factions were fighting for political control. This unrest is reflected in the fact that several artistic style existed at the same time. Prasrt Andet style is contemporaneous with the end of the Prei Kmeng and the beginning of the Kompong Preah architectural styles.
Harihara, a synthesis of Shiva and Vishnu, is a popular deity in Cambodia. Shiva is represented on the right hand side of body and Vishnu on the left.
The face of this Harihara has a stern, compelling expression. The statue shows beautifully subtle but modeling of the muscles and anatomy which is rare in Khmer art. When restored, Harihara’s legs had to be extended to provide support for his slender ankles.
The composition of the headdress is a hybrid of Shiva’s curls of hair on the right and Vishnu’s mitre on the left. The forehead bears half of Shiva’s vertical third eye.
At the front of the sampot, the cloth is gathered from the left side and pulled up to form a ‘pocket’.
The jewlled belt is a replica of Indian models.
 The reign of King Jayavarman II (802-850 A.D) marks the beginning of the Angkorian period. According to an inscription, he undertook to unify Cambodia and was consecrated as the ‘god-king’on Phnom Kulen.
The art of the Kulen style becomes more formalized and less naturalistic.
This Vishnu has a sturdy build and muscular chest. His weight is balanced on his left leg with his right leg set slightly forward. The supporting arch is no longer necessary. In later Vishnu stands rigidly upright.
Vishnu’s face is square and heavy with a fixed yet pleasant expression. The end of his moustache are turned-up and his eyebrows are connected. His eyes and lips are outlined. The irises of eyes are engraved.
All of these features, including the pointed hairline at temples, are characteristics of the Angkorian period. In later style, Vishnu wears a diadem (royal crow) on his head instead of a mitre.
In the Kulen style a new abstract fashion evolves with the sampot. The “pocket�is draped across the left thigh into a series of curved stylized folds with a scalloped border.
 King indravarman I (877-899 A.D) built the temples of Preah Ko, Bakong and the Baray ( water reservoir) at Roluos.
This statue of Shiva has a stocky, solid frame. Combined with his controlled, idealized facial expression, it gives him an appearance of stateliness and power.
Shiva has a cylindrical hairstylr made up from small loops of hair ornamented with a crescent moon. His forehead is framed on his forehead above his large eyes and clearly defined eyebrows. He has a thick, turned-up moustache and a short pointed beard.
The sampot Shiva is wearing has an ‘anchor-shaped’ drape in the centre, combined with the centre, combined with the ‘pocket’ fold on the left leg and a wide belt. The sampot is above the belt and has symmetrical ties either side of the central drape.
 Following his accession in 889 A.D., King Yasovarman I founded a new capital at the site known today as Angkor. His new city was built around Phnom Bakheng.
He also built temples on the hills surrounding Angkor, at Phnom Krom and Phnom Bok. On the plains, Yasovarman constructed an enormous water reservoir known today as the Eastern Baray.
The statues of the Bakheng style are frontal and upright. The overall impression, from the proportions and patterning, is of symmetry.
Sampots worn by both male and female statues are pleated around the entire body.
This male statue wears a sampot with a double ‘anchor ’, where the foremost drape is the longer. This is in contrast to the later Angkor Wat style where the back drape is the longer. The “pocket’ has parallet folds running diagonally from the top of the sampot to the bottom. The upper edge of the garment passes behind the belt and has symmetrical ties on both sides.
 In 921A.D. King Jayavarman IV founded a temporary capital at Koh Ker, 85 km north-east of Angkor.
Statues of Koh Ker are large and sense of monumentality and grandeur which overrides the concern for anatomical accuracy.
Some pieces from this style show dynamic focre and movement which is unusual in Khmer art. In the examples of ‘The Wrestlers’ and the fight between the two monkey kings ‘Valin and Sugriva’, the struggle is implied by the positioning of the two opponents.
 The temple of Banteay Srei was built by two Barahman brothers, not by the king. It was built 21 km north-east of Angkor. The temple is carved from pink sandstone and shows decoration of exquisite detail detail.
With the style of Banteay Srei, the quest for beauty and charm replaces the previous ideals of power and grandeur.
The Banteay Srei style has two aspects – traditional and innovative. The free-standing statues are usually traditional, following directly from the preceding styles.
The bas-reliefs carved on the temple are often innovative leading stylistically onward to the Baphuon style.
This image of Shiva his consort, Uma, represents them as a couple, yet maintains Khmer decorum by not expressing desire in an open manner. Uma’s small hand rests in the middle of Shiva’s back.
The sampots worn by Shiva and Uma are traditional, with rigid pleating around the whole garment of Shiva’s hair and tiara.
Shiva is depicted smiling. His full lips, outlined eyes and separated eyebrows are all breaks from previous sculptural tradition.
Originally the statue would have been adorned with real jewellery. Uma’s head was stolen from the museum in the 1970’s.
The Baphuon temple was built by King Udayadityavarman II in the middle of the 11th century.
Statues of the Baphuon style have mannered grace and charm. The feeling of suppleness is achieved by elongated frms and delicate craftsmanship.
The slender legs of Lakshmi from Khum Samlanh are supoted at the back. The face is gentle and sensitive, with a dimpled chin. The hair is covered with an elaborate crown.
The front of Lakshmi’s germent dips to reveal the abdomen yet rises above the waist at the back. The pleating of the sampot is fine. The front panel of the skirt is folded back and the lower edge spreads out in the shape of a ‘fish-tail’.
Lakshmi’s belt is worn low on the hips and has a twisted knot. Male statues of this style often have a butterfly knot at the back of their sampot.
The large fragment of a bronze reclining Vishnu is another example of the Baphuo style to be found in the museum. It would originally have been approximately 6m in length.
 King Suryavarman II (1113 A.D.-c.1150 A.D.) was a powerful king. He obtained the throne after defeating several other contenders. He dedicated the temple of Angkor Wat to Vishnu. It faces west which is unusual as most Khmer temple of Angkor Wat to Vishnu. It faces west which is unusual as most Khmer temple face east.
Statues of the Angkor Wat style differ from the gracefulness of the Baphuon style, with a feturn to a frontal and rigid posture. The repeated use of characteristics drawn from earlier styles reflects the conservtve nature of Khmer sculpture.
This statue is a recent acquisition of museum. It was uncobered in Sre Ampil, Kandak in 1992.
Vishnu from Sre Ampil has wide and straight shoulders. His face is square, with full lips and connected eyebrows above large eyes. Vishnu’s sampot is of heavy material. The pleats and front panels closely follow 10th century models but the ‘pocket’ folds are pulled diagonally across the left leg. The front panel ends in an ánchor’motif which reaches low on the sampot. The sense of surface patterns, with flat shapes and lies, has become more formal and abstract.
The sampot is held in place with a jeweled belt. Feminine statues of this are often depicted with jewellery.
 King Jayavarman VII ruled Cambodia from 1181 to c. 1218 A.D. His father was a cousin of Suryavarman II who built Angkor Wat.
Towards the end of the 12th century, portraitures began to be produced. This statue is thought to be an image of King Jayavarman VII.
Jayavarman VII was a devout follower of Mahayana Buddhism which is reflected in the art of his time. This statue is simple is simple yet expresses great beauty and power. The emphasis is on volume and naturalism instead of line (compare the eyebrows and jaw with those of the Angkor Wat style). The king is portrayed without his insignia and royal regalia, seated in the position of the Buddha in meditation.
Jayavarman VII came to power after the capital had been sacked in 1177 by the Chams (the people who occupied Southern Vietnam at this time). He rebuilt the area and added a new citadel, with Bayon at its centre, know today as Angkor Thom. Also commissioned were the temples of Banteay Kdei, TaProhm, Preah Khan and Banteay Chhmar. In addition, 102 hospitals and 121 rest-houses were built throughout the kingdom.
It is thought that King Jayavarman VII’s first wife died when she was young. The king then married her educated elder sister who composed many inscriptions. In one inscription she writes of having set up images in memory of her dead sister. Perhaps this piece is one such image.
The female statues of the Bayon style are distinct from the previous stylistic traditions. The bodies are elongated, with narrow shoulders and wide hips. Their faces are long and thin.
With sculptures in the Bayon style the depiction of garments is simple. Jayarajadevi’s sampot has sprays carved flowers replacing the pleating of the previous style. The front of the sampot has a large flap and is held by a wide belt.
Male statues of this style have large bodies with powerful legs. Their sampots are very short. The headdress is made up of rings of lotus petals surrounding a small image of the Buddha.
After several centuries prolific production of stone temples and art, by the 13th century output had decreased and the quality of sculpting had declined. The difficulty in obtaining large homogeneous block of sand stone could be explanation for the mediocre statuary of the period. Lower limbs were over-enlarged and often the stone was left unpolished.
Art in stone, so characteristic of the Angkorian period, decreased dramatically in the 13th century. Woodcarving and other forms of art continued to be prodeuced, but were increasingly influenced by art emerging from the new kingdoms in Thailand.
This statue portrays a time in the Buddha’s lift after he reached full for a whole week and Torrential rain fell for a whole week and Muchilinda, King of the Nagas, came out of the ground to protect the meditating Buddha with the coils of his body and his outstretched hood.
SIEM REAP PACKAGE TOURS
.jpg "5 Days Siem Reap Tours") Arrive at Siem Reap International Airport and transfer to the hotel for check in and spend the rest of the day is free at leisure.
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Siem Reap- Arrivel(-/-/-)
Day1: Arrive at Siem Reap International Airport and transfer to the hotel (rooms may not be ready until the afternoon)
Visit the Roluos Group. The monuments of Roluos, which served as the capital of Indravarman I (reigned 877-89), are among the earliest large, permanent temples built by the Khmers and mark the beginning of Khmer classical art. Preah Ko erected by Indravarman I in the late 9th century dedicated by the King to his ancestors in 880. Bakong the largest and most interesting of the Roluos group temples, with his active Buddhist monastery just to the north of the east entrance. Lolei built on an islet in the center of a large reservoir (now rice fields) by Yasovarman I, the founder to the first city at Angkor.
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 Arrival International Airport Siem Reap, welcome and then transfer to hotel for check in and continuo visit the South Gat ( with it’s huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk), the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century) Bayon temple (unique for it’s 54 towers decorated with 216 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), The Royal enclosure, Phimeanakas, The Elephants terrace and terrace of the leper king .
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MORE PACKAGE TOURS PACKAGE TOURS
 Arrive at Phnom Penh International airport, transfer to the hotels (Room may not be ready until the afternoon). Begin yours tours of this charming capital with a visit to the city’s namesake, Vat Phnom founded in 1373,the pagoda was build to house Buddhist relics washed ashore by the river. Visit the Royal Palace build in 1866 under the reign of king Norodom and localted along the Sothearos Boulevand. See the different structures of this pagoda-style compound in it’s beautiful garden.
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 Arrive at Phnom Penh International Airport and transfer to the hotel (rooms may not be ready until the afternoon). Lunch at local restaurant by own account and Accommodation at hotel. Afternoon, Phnom Penh city tour: Visit the National Museum, also called Musee des Beaux-Arts. A French archaeologist and painter, Georges Groslier, designed it in Khmer style in 1917.
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 Arrive at Siem Reap International Airport and transfer to the hotel (rooms may not be ready until the afternoon). Siem Reap – Modulkiri(946 km, 12 hours drive)
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 Día 1: llegada el vuelo …. a Ph nom Penh y Traslado hotel. La tarde visitar a Wat Phnom,Palacio Real (la pagoda de plata), Museo Nacional y Museo de Tuol Sleng(museo de crimen) y Alojamiento in hotel. (Cena libre)
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VIET NAM - CAMBODIA PACKAGE TOURS
Vietnam Highligths & Discover Angkor
Day 1
Ha Noi
Arrival in Ha Noi,
meet your guide of Viet Le gend Travel and transfer to your hotel where your guide will offer advice and assistance as required.
Overnight in Hanoi .
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 Vietnam Highlights & Discover Angkor
22 Days / 20 Nights
Trip code: VLT 08 –VNCB
( Hanoi –Hoalu-Sapa-Halong-Hue-Hoian-Nhatrang-Dalat-Saigon-Mekong-Sieamreap)
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