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King Jayavarman VII

Keywords : Prasat Phimai, Phimai National Museum, King Jayavarman VII

Site common namePhimai National Museum
Type of artworkSculpture
Sub districtNai Mueang
DistrictPhimai
ProvinceNakhon Ratchasima
RegionNortheast
CountryThailand
Geographic Coordinates
Decimal degree		Lat : 15.224812
Long : 102.494452
Geographic Coordinates
UTM		Zone : 47 P
Hemisphere : N
E : 230843.9
N : 1684737.63
Place of artworkInside the exhibition room Phimai National Museum

History of production

There is no direct evidence related to the origin of this sculpture. However, it is believed that it was built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII or during the 18th century B.E to be the image of the king himself. Its style is comparable to the sculptures of King Jayavarman VII found in Cambodia and Laos.

Production process

Carved sandstone

Conservation

Found in Prang Brahmathat, inside Prasat Phimai, Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima

Size1.42 meters
Art

Both arms and the left knee of the sculpture of King Jayavarman VII are missing.

The sculpture has a plump body, square face, closed eyes with the corners of the mouth lifted slightly; its long hair is put up in a bun shape. The upper part of the body is bare and the lower part is clothed in shorts. The sculpture is sitting in a cross-legged position. The arms are missing so it is unknown as to which gestures the sculpture is making. However, some suggested that it is positioned to pay salutation by putting the palm together; because if the arms are on the laps or in a meditating position, there will certainly be a handprint on the lap.
Key academic information

It is believed that this is the sculpture of King Jayavarman VII. It was found at Prasat Hin Phimai, Phimai district, Nakhon Ratchasima province. It is the oldest and the most completed of the king found in Thailand.

This sculpture of King Jayavarman VII reflects the era of his reign.
PeriodHistorical Period
Art periodLopburi
Age18th century B.E.
Religion and beliefLocal beliefs
Legend

The villagers believed that this sculpture is of Brahmathat, the ruler of Phimai in a local literature, Pachit-Oraphim.

Related artwork

The sculpture of King Jayavarman VII might be in resemblance of one of the idols. It might be related to one of the traditions of the ancient Khmer people that worshiped the status of the king and the royal family to become a Brahmin god such as Shiva, Vishnu and a Buddha or Bodhisattva in Buddhism. The sculpture of King Jayavarman VII might be worshiped because the king was regarded as an angel in a human body. This belief is to the raise the status of a person to be a god or Buddha.

Type of LicenseAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
RightsPrincess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation2016-09-30
Record creatorRungroj Thamrungraeng
Bibliography

สุภัทรดิศ ดิศกุล, หม่อมเจ้า. (เรียบเรียง) ประติมากรรมขอม. กรุงเทพฯ : กรุงสยามการพิมพ์, 2515.

สุภัทรดิศ ดิศกุล, หม่อมเจ้า. ศิลปะสมัยลพบุรี. กรุงเทพฯ : มหาวิทาลัยศิลปากร, 2547.

สุริยวุฒิ สุขสวัสดิ์, หม่อมราชวงศ์. “รูปพระเจ้าชัยวรมันที่ 7 จากเมืองซายฟองในสาธารณรัฐประชาธิปไตยประชาชนลาว” ศิลปวัฒนธรรม ปีที่ 9, ฉบับที่ 1 (พฤศจิกายน 2530), หน้า 60-70.