Garuda, first half of the 12^th century
Cambodian, Khmer people
Bronze
Gift of Mr. Albert Kahn
43.419

Garuda is a half-man, half-eagle steed for Vishnu, one of the most important gods in the Hindu cosmology. The eagle has long been an emblem of victory, and Garuda is often a symbol of Khmer imperial power for the Cambodians. In this bird-king, there is manifest harmony between power (the forceful stride) and grace (the slender torso which balances the upraised arms), creating a magical figure of royal virility.

Bronze figures such as this spiritually charged image were probably kept in private sanctuaries and seen by only the most holy or powerful individuals. This Garuda is strikingly similar to the Garuda atlas relief figure of the south gallery at the great temple of Angkor Wat.