Reconstructing the West Mebon Vishnu: A Marriage of Traditional Artefactual Analysis with Digital 3D Visualization

摘要

The West Mebon Vishnu is one of the most magnificent works of sculpture in South East Asian art history, and a key example of the tradition of large bronzes that plays an important role in the history of the region. Unfortunately, this once powerful and serene sculpture survives only in 19 major fragments that together constitute perhaps 40% of the original statue. Reconstruction of the Vishnu from these fragments is a formidable task that we have approached by combining detailed analysis of the surviving fragments with digitally modeled 3D reconstruction, informed by comparative studies of Vishniavite iconography and the aesthetic and religions traditions of Khmer culture. Beyond its aesthetic value, the reconstruction process may provide insights into the many unknowns surrounding the creation and destruction of this masterpiece.