Restituted in December 2023 This work of art has been removed from the Museum's permanent collection. Learn more about The Met's collecting practices.
Head of Buddha
Not on view
This over-life-size head of the Buddha is a testament to the grandeur of the monumental sculptural tradition in the Zhenla kingdom. It was carved from a sandstone characteristic of southern Cambodia, which is consistent with its stylistic assignment to Angkor Borei or a related site. The Buddha has a strong, broad face; lightly modeled eyelids and pupils; and full lips that turn up at the corners in a hint of a smile. The hair curls, like those of other Buddhas from this period and region, are large and flat—a memory of the southern Indian style favored in the early period of contact.
Deaccessioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art for return to the Kingdom of Cambodia, 2023
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