Head of Avalokiteśvara

Khmer.

"The heads of Buddha images of the last century of the classic period of Cambodian art preserve the solid cubic mass of earlier types. The features instead of being applied to the surface and reinforced with engraved outlines are now absorbed in the plastic mass of the head. This technique results in a dreamy expression implied by the familiar formula of the eyes closed and smiling lips. The suggestion of personality is to be explained by the fact that in Cambodian images the divinities were ideal portraits of the king in the guise of the presiding deity of the realm." Benjamin Roland Jr., Evolution of the Buddha Image, 1963.

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