The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 18, 2024

Enthroned planetary deity

Enthroned planetary deity

850–75
(Champa)
Sandstone
Overall: 86.5 x 37.5 cm (34 1/16 x 14 3/4 in.)
Edward L. Whittemore Fund 1935.147
Location: 243 Indian and Southeast Asian

Did You Know?

Sanskrit dedicatory inscriptions show that the temple and monastery complex at Dong Duong founded in 875.

Description

Enthroned Planetary Deity is a powerful presence about three feet tall, made of a light-colored sandstone. He is a personification of one of the nine planets that protected a Buddhist temple; the short dagger in his left hand along with the mustache and stylized furrowed brow refer to his role as a fierce protector. His posture is that of royal ease, and his crown, massive earrings, and throne also mark him as a king of the heavens. The mark on his forehead refers to his association with enlightened beings. The meaning of a planetary deity as a guardian pertains to the consecration of the temple at a time when the planets were correctly aligned with the stars, so that the site and devotees will be protected from misfortune. The “face of glory” (kirtimukha) on the carved relief panel in front of his pedestal is an image pertaining to the creative energy (shakti) that is emitted from the temple itself; it spits jewels and vegetal motifs that connote abundance and prosperity that will accrue to the worshipers who come to the temple.

This sculpture is one of the rare surviving examples from the Cham culture of central and southern Vietnam. It is documented to have come from the Dong Duong monastery, dedicated to Mahayana Buddhism.
  • ?–1935
    (Paul Mallon [1884–1975], Paris, France and New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1935–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 793 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 243 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 243 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 320 archive.org
    Cunningham, Michael R., Stanislaw J. Czuma, Anne E. Wardwell, and J. Keith Wilson. Masterworks of Asian Art. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1998. Mentioned and Reproduced: pp. 166–167
    Eilenberg, Natasha and Robert L. Brown. "The Sculptures." Société des Amis du Champa Ancien, no. 6, December 1999. Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 4
    Baptiste, Pierre, et. al. Missions archéologiques françaises au Vietnam: les monuments du Champa : photographies et itinéraires, 1902-1904. Paris: Indes savantes, 2005. Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 116, no. 82
    Guy, John, et al. Lost Kingdoms: Hindu-Buddhist Sculpture of Early Southeast Asia. New York, N.Y.: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2014. Mentioned and Reproduced: pp. 248–249, cat. no. 155
  • Lost Kingdoms of Early Southeast Asia: Hindu-Buddhist Sculpture 5th to 8th Century. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY (organizer) (April 14-July 27, 2014).
    Object Lessons: Cleveland Creates an Art Museum. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 7-September 8, 1991).
    Art: The International Language. The Cleveland Museum of Art (October 2-November 4, 1956).
    The Silver Jubilee Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 23-September 28, 1941).
  • {{cite web|title=Enthroned planetary deity|url=false|author=|year=850–75|access-date=18 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1935.147