296 - A STANDING SANDSTONE FIGURE OF UMA, LATE 12TH TO 13TH CENTURY, BAYON

A STANDING SANDSTONE FIGURE OF UMA, LATE 12TH TO 13TH CENTURY, BAYON Dimensions: Height 70 cm Wide 20 cm Depth 12 cm without base Weight: 21,5 Kilograms with base This refined sandstone sculpture represents a standing female deity, Uma, the consort of Shiva, in the Bayon style, a hallmark of the late 12th to early 13th century Khmer Empire under Jayavarman VII. Carved in the round, the figure stands upright and composed, evoking the ideal of divine beauty through its graceful proportions and serene expression. The figure’s face is rendered with soft, symmetrical features: full lips set in a gentle smile, high cheekbones, elongated eyes gently closed in a meditative expression, and arched brows. The coiffure is distinctive of the Bayon style—a high conical chignon ornamented with stylized lotus petals and bound by horizontal ridges—echoing the elaborate headdresses found on temple reliefs of this period. The upper body is bare, with a naturalistically modeled torso and well-rounded breasts. The lower body is wrapped in an elaborately carved sampot, its borders defined with precision and decorated with floral and geometric motifs. The intricately patterned front panel (known as the pendent flap) is a key stylistic indicator of late Angkorian art, especially in depictions of female deities and royal figures. Though both arms are missing and part of the lower sampot is abraded, the figure maintains a powerful presence. The slight sway of the hips and gentle outward curve of the legs contribute to the graceful silhouette, in keeping with the elegance of Bayon-period sculpture. Losses to both arms and areas of abrasion on the front of the sampot. Surface wear and mineral accretion consistent with age. Overall excellent form with delicately preserved facial features and costume details. Mounted on a modern base. The headdress, body type, and richly ornamented costume express the iconography of Uma (Parvati), often shown alone or accompanying a sculpture of Shiva. During the Bayon period, the integration of Hindu and Buddhist iconography flourished, and female deities like Uma were depicted with enhanced elegance and serenity.