Head of a Deity or a Deified King
Unknown Artist
mid-900s
Medium
sandstone
Dimensions
h. 37.4 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Dudley P. Allen Fund
Accession Number
1923.95
About this artwork
The diadem is depicted tied to the intricate tiered headdress worn only by a god or king. Without further attributes, the identity cannot be known. Khmer sculptors of the 10th century emphasized powerful forms and extroverted expressions. The incised pupils suggest that this sculpture underwent the ritual of awakening, in which the eyes were added last. The royal head on the left is from a temple dedicated to Shiva, which was established by the Khmer king Jayavarman IV (928–942) in his remote ca...