Vishnu and praying figure; Cambodia, Angkor Wat, Bayon period, 12th century.

Vishnu and praying figure; Cambodia, Angkor Wat, Bayon period, 12th century.
Bronze.
Measurements: 9.5 cm (Vishnu); 7.5 cm (praying).
Set consisting of two bronze figurines, a statue of Vishnu with four arms and a bronze statuette of a kneeling orante.
Angkor Wat, located in Cambodia, is the largest preserved religious monument (or monumental complex) in the world, with just over 162 hectares. It was originally built as a Hindu temple to the god Vishnu by the Khmer Empire, becoming an important center of Buddhism towards the end of the twelfth century (which continues today), without ever being completely abandoned, although it did go through periods of decadence (mainly after the sixteenth century). Leaving aside the typology of constructions (mainly two, the "mountain-temple" and the later temple of galleries; thought to represent Mount Meru, home of the "devas" of Hindu mythology) is decorated with a large number of friezes of bas-reliefs in stone with various themes (Ramayana and Mahabharata on the inner walls of the outer gallery; in other areas the Battle of Lanka, the Battle of Kurukshetra, a procession of King Suryavarman II, the 32 hells and the 37 paradises or heavens of Hinduism, the Samudramanthan, Vishnu defeating "asuras" -added in the 16th century, apparently-, scenes from the life of Krishna, apsaras, devata, etc.)