Possibly Harihara; Cambodia, Khmer Empire, Angkor period, Banteay Srei style, 10th century.

Possibly Harihara; Cambodia, Khmer Empire, Angkor period, Banteay Srei style, 10th century.
Sandstone.
Measurements: 82 x 40 x 14 cm; 85.5 cm (height with base).
Sculpture carved in sandstone that possibly is a representation of Harihara, a syncretic deity of Hinduism that combines the aspects and powers of Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara). The sculpture represents the vertical third eye on the forehead and the matted hair gathered in a bun are characteristic of Shiva, and the conical mitre lacking decoration is one of the distinctive features of Vishnu. The cult of Harihara was popular in the Mekong Delta (mainland Southeast Asia) during the 7th and 7th centuries.
The Banteay Srei style, developed in Cambodia during the Angkor period between 967 and 1000, represents one of the most delicate and refined manifestations of the art of the Khmer Empire, noted for its elegance, its reduced scale and the perfection of its stone carving. Emerged under the reign of Jayavarman V, this style owes its name to the temple Banteay Srei, known as the "Citadel of Women", built by the Brahmin Yajñavar?ha and not by a king, a fact that makes it exceptional in the Khmer tradition. Made of pink sandstone, a material that allowed a meticulous sculpture and great detail, this temple presents an exuberant decoration of reliefs depicting scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, along with floral motifs and divine figures of the Hindu pantheon, mainly dedicated to Shiva. Its intimate scale, harmony of proportions and meticulous ornamentation make this style an example of unparalleled beauty and spirituality, considered a true jewel of Angkorian art and a symbol of the cultural and religious splendor achieved by the Khmer Empire, where devotion and artistic creativity came together to shape a work that transcends time and expresses the profound aesthetic sensibility of a civilization.