Lois Conner
(American, born 1951)
Angkor Wat (wall of Apsaras, western entrance), plate VII from portfolio Angkor Wat, Cambodia: Vision of the God-Kings
Object Details
Artist
Lois Conner
Date
1993 (negative); 2002 (print)
Medium
Gelatin silver print Edition 24/50
Dimensions
Image: 6 5/8 × 16 7/16 inches (16.8 × 41.8 cm)
Sheet: 7 7/8 × 17 7/8 inches (20 × 45.4 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired through the generosity of Zita and Ed Rosenthal
Object
Number
2006.017.007
The twelfth-century temple of Angkor Wat features some two thousand bas-relief sculptures of devata,(…)
The twelfth-century temple of Angkor Wat features some two thousand bas-relief sculptures of devata, celestial female beings who dwell in the upper realms of the cosmos. Dancing devata figures are popularly know as apsaras, deities with origins in Indian mythology. It is believed that they emerged from the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, a tale from the Puranas, an ancient Hindu text. The abundance of the devatas and apsaras adorning temple walls throughout the Angkor complex display a striking variety of gestures, costume, adornment, and coiffure. These refined and enchanting figures represent a pinnacle of achievement in Khmer architectural sculpture.
