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Arts in Southeast Asia Database
Lintel carved of Krishna
Keywords : Vishnu, Tap Lang (Lintels), Hindu, Banteay Srei, Jayavarman V, Yajnavaraha, Krishna
| Site common name | Prasat Banteay Srei |
|---|---|
| Type of artwork | Sculpture |
| Province/City | Angkor |
| State | Siem Reap |
| Country | Cambodia |
| Geographic Coordinates Decimal degree | Lat : 13.598889 Long : 103.962778 |
| History of production | Prasat Banteay Srei was constructed by the brahmin and courtier named Yajnavaraha during the reign of Jayavarman V to dedicate to Lord Shiva and 2 other Devis. The lintel is the important part of Khmer architecture that always installed above the entrance gate of the building (Prasat or Temple). |
|---|---|
| Art | The lintels of Banteay Srei are influenced from Koh Ker Art mix with Preah Ko Art. They are characterized by having the storytellings in the center of the lintels. The garlands have the virtical leaf pattern, both up and down positions. The bouquets are found attached to the leaves in the Preah Ko style. The significance of the lintels of this period is the decoration of “Sieo” (a quarter) of the garland with the animal’s head in the position that it is eating the garland. This style of decoration will become the model of the garland of Baphuon Art. The center of the lintel depicts the story of Krishna defeating Kamsa. |
| Period | Historical Period |
| Art period | Banteay Srei |
| Age | 16 Buddhist Century |
| Religion | Brahmanism-Hinduism |
| Religion and belief | Krishna is the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu. God Vishnu incarnated as Krishna to slay the mythical monsters and Asuras. The story depicting in the lintel is when Krishna fights and defeats King Kamsa, his tyranny uncle who overthrow King Ugrasena, his father and install himself as the King of Mathura. Kamsa has been pursuing to eliminate Krishna and Balarama, his older brother. When the brothers are grown up, they return to Mathura to challenge Kamsa’s right and Krishna eventually fights Kamsa and kills him by beating him to death. |
| Related artwork | The sculpture displays the story of 2 people. One of the tears apart the body of the other one, presumably to be Krishna tearing King Kamsa, his tyranny uncle. |
| Type of License | Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND) |
|---|---|
| Rights | Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre |
| Date of record creation | 2015-07-00 |
| Record creator | Chedha Tingsanchali |
