Antefix with Kneeling Guardian
Unknown Artist
third quarter of the 10th century
Medium
Reddish sandstone
Dimensions
H. 25 in. (63.5 cm); W. 13¼ in. (33.7 cm); D. 9½ in. (24.1 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture & Period
Cambodia · Angkor period
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of The Randall and Barbara Smith Foundation Inc., 2003
Accession Number
2003.142
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking *Antefix with Kneeling Guardian*, carved from reddish sandstone in Cambodia during the third quarter of the 10th century, hails from the Angkor period—the golden age of the Khmer Empire Measuring 25 inches high, this architectural sculpture once adorned the eaves of a temple roof, serving as a protective decorative element at the ends of ridges. Such antefixes were essential in Khmer temple design, shielding structures from rain while warding off evil spirits through their vigilant figures. The kneeling guardian, a muscular male figure (as suggested by the artwork's tags), embod...