Lintel with Anthropomorphic Dragon in Foliage

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This lintel once graced the east entrance to an early Khmer brick sanctuary. Its uniqueness lies in its decoration, given to a single motif: a glaring, fearsome monster face with anthropomorphic arms and hands, emerging from luxuriant foliage. Where did such a creature originate? The protective kirttimukha (face of glory) is an ancient motif in Indian art. This mask also hints at Chinese dragons, such as the monster-faced anthropomorph in funerary sculpture of the Northern Qi and Sui dynasties (6th–7th century). This rare Khmer rendering of a monster mask is among the earliest known in a Southeast Asian context. cat. no. 18

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art