Gods of Angkor: Bronzes from the National Museum of Cambodia

Where: Sackler Gallery

When: until January 23, 2011

This exhibit is not terribly large - only 36 pieces, which makes it ideal for lunchtime viewing. While I was looking at the exhibit, I saw several tours going on. I'm a big fan of museum tours, although I don't take them on my lunch hour, for fear they'd run too long. I like them because you get a lot more information then you do just looking at the pieces yourself, and they are especially helpful for large museums, like the National Gallery of Art.

The Gods of Angkor exhibit is the result of a partnership between the Freer and Sackler Galleries and the National Museum of Cambodia. The museums have worked together to establish a metals conservation laboratory in Cambodia, and several pieces in the show have been conserved there.

Some of the pieces I found most interesting were:

• a Kandal urn from the 4th - 2nd century BCE that was found in the possession of a peasant family, who were using it to carry water. I couldn't help but think what a Cambodian version of Antiques Roadshow might be like.
• a kneeling female figure whose lost hand was later found among other excavated materials and replaced
  
• a Crowned Buddha whose hands were held up in a "fear not" position
  
• a statue of a male divinity missing the item that would help identify him. His hands were placed in what I think of as a "muffler man" pose.
• an incense burner from the 12th century that reminded me of art nouveau design

Something else I found interesting was the use of a serpent as a protector of Buddha. In Western art, the serpent is usually the representative of evil, but in this show, the serpent is good. Buddha was also protected by both male and female figures. The male represents compassion, and the female represents wisdom. Again, a switch from Western views.

Verdict: do go and see this small, but very impressive, show. It's very well laid out, and if you have a bit more time, take a tour to learn more.