According to French archaeologist Brice Vincent of the French School of Asian Studies (EFEO), this is the "Mona Lisa of Cambodia" – or rather, the "Venus de Milo of Cambodia," as it's also missing two arms. Two others remain, however, as it's a bronze statue of the Hindu god Vishnu. Discovered in 1936 by the Frenchman Maurice Glaize, on an island in the center of Angkor's largest pond, in what was once the West Mebon temple, it depicts the god lying on his side. It has been estimated that when it was originally made in the 11th century, the artifact, which was a royal commission, would have been between 5 and 6 meters long. Some 40 large fragments have been unearthed – along with several hundred smaller pieces – but today only the upper part of the statue, comprising the head, the two right arms and the upper torso, is on display. Nevertheless, the whole piece exceeds 2.20 meters in length.
In May, this smiling statue of Vishnu will leave the National Museum of Cambodia and come to France. It will be the centerpiece of an exhibition on Khmer bronzes, to be held at the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts in Paris in 2025. Yet, before that, the statue will spend some time at the Center for Research and Restoration in French Museums (C2RMF) and, in particular, under the care of archaeometallurgy specialist David Bourgarit.
"We've always wanted to study it, because it's a major piece," this expert said from the outset. Tiny samples had already been taken in Cambodia; but certain pieces of this statue, which was not cast all at once, have yet to be analyzed. Why use a micro-drill, with a drill bit 1 centimeter long and 1 millimeter in diameter, and not go further than scratching the surface a little? "The surface has 1 centimeter of corrosion," said Bourgarit. "If you want to analyze the metal, you have to get to the heart of it. But we only take samples of 20 milligrams."
Defining the alloy's composition, determining the geographical source of the copper used therein, and comparing it with the foundry residues that Vincent has uncovered near the royal palace of Angkor were the research project's first objectives. Initial analyses have shown that the Vishnu statue's bronze "matches" that which was used on the archaeological site. This result now needs to be confirmed, notably by taking samples from the statue's clay core and comparing it with the clay used in the Angkor workshop. In the same vein, "we're also going to study the repairs the statue has undergone," said Bourgarit. "There have been many, with small patches of unalloyed copper. Indeed, at the foundry, which was excavated a few years ago by Brice Vincent, we've found copper plates that bear a striking resemblance to these 'bandages.'"
You have 29.87% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.