The thousand-year artistic legacy of Cambodia includes some of the world's mostbeautiful works of art and architecture. This richly illustrated volume, published to coincide with an exhibition organized by the National Gallery of Art and the Réunion des Musées Nationnaux, examines the powerful and original Khmer culture that flourished on the mainland of Southeast Asia between 600 and 1600 A.D. Centered on the northern shores of Cambodia's Great Lake, the Tonle Sap, and extending westward into eastern Thailand, the civilization reached its apogee in the early twelfth century with the construction of the Temple of Angkor. Embracing both Buddhist and Hindu traditions, the sculpture ranges from monumental works in sandstone representing gods and goddesses, guardians, female dancers, and legendary creatures, to refined ritual and ceremonial bronzes. Essays by an international group of scholars together with narrative discussions of each of the works illustrated provide a fascinating introduction to a culture that is still relatively unknown.

A remarkable group of seven bronze figures was unearthed in Kampong Cham province, Cambodia, in 2006. This book celebrates the collaborative efforts of the Cambodian and US museums to restore and interpret these important images, and also the accomplishments of Khmer bronze casters from the fourth century BCE to the fourteenth century CE.

Adoration and Glory is a celebration of centuries of artistic achievements of the Khmer peoples, a civilization nearly forgotten. The Khmer empire created one of the world's most glorious traditions of sculpture and architecture, inspired and influenced by the spiritual and in particular the Tantric, Hindu and Buddhist cultures and religions of India. The domains of the Khmer grew from a collection of small kingdoms to an empire that encompassed much of present day Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Due to Cambodia's more recent historic past, decades of political turbulence and isolation the public hardly got a chance to admire the magnificent artistic creations of this nearly forgotten culture. For the first time now this book offers a comprehensive overview of the outstanding capabilities and craftsmanship of ancient Khmer artists. Many important pieces in stone, bronze, silver and gold are published here for the very first time. As the book brings together the wealth of the Khmer culture, the authors were able to gain access to private as well as public collections worldwide to give unparalleled access to more than 150 objects. With the inclusion of Tantric Hindu and Buddhist images never seen in public and new technical research into manufacturing techniques by leading museum scientist Dr Pieter Meyers, the publication suggests many fresh interpretations of Khmer art and culture particularly at a time when the authenticity of newly excavated material is often in question. From the beginning, the book gained the support of HRH Princess Norodom Buppha Devi, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Kingdom of Cambodia as well as the Directors and teams at the National Museum of Cambodia. Both accessible and scholarly, this book represents an important resource for connoisseurs and aficionados of art, art historians, collectors and all those interested in the cultures of South East Asia. It contributes to a new and deeper understanding of Khmer art, and encourages further research and worldwide interest in helping Cambodia to protect and celebrate its rich artistic past. - Description by Crunruh Books.

Presents works of art selected from the South and Southeast Asian and Islamic collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, lessons plans, and classroom activities.