Dancing Apsara
Khmer
Angkor Wat Style , 12th Century
Bronze
6 1/2� (16.5 cms.) high 

Apsaras in Hindu cosmology are celestial dancers, the companions of the Gandharvas, the male celestial musicians and attendants of Kama, the god of love. Their beauty was not surpassed. Images carved in stone relief adore and enliven the walls and architectural details of many ancient Khmer temples. I was informed that there are over 1000 carved apsaras at Angkor Wat alone. Images of some of these carvings, taken form books and my own photographs can be seen on my web site under the entry for this piece. 

This piece was formally in the private collection of a prominent oriental art dealer of English descent. The aesthetic values and the fineness of detailing are superior, far surpassing the half dozen or so other bronze statues of apsaras that I have seen. 

Condition: Overall excellent. There is a small nick in the bronze on the rear of the skirt -probably where a shovel first encountered the bronze. The wire going between the headdress and the shoulder on her left-hand side has been repaired.

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