Brahma; Vietnam, Thap Nam, Binh Dinh province, Champa, 12th-13th century.

Brahma; Vietnam, Thap Nam, Binh Dinh province, Champa, 12th-13th century.
Sandstone.
Measurements: 95 x 52 x 11 cm.
Stele made of sandstone representing the figure of Brahma in relief. In the framework of Hinduism, Brahma (literally "evolution" or "development", in Sanskrit), is the creator god of the universe and member of the Trimurti, the triad formed by himself (creator god), Vishnu (preserver god) and Shiva (destroyer god). There are several myths about the origin of the Trimurti, although the first myth is the one that supposes Brahma as the first being created by Brahman, and even as the first personification of this absolute deity, by whom everything was created. Thus, the three gods would be avatars of a single god, in his facets of creator, preserver and destroyer. Brahma is the husband of Sarasvati, the goddess of knowledge. However, being the Creator, all his children are born of his mind, and not of his body. Brahma intervenes only occasionally in the affairs of the gods, and rarely in those of mortals.

Champa was a Southeast Asian civilization that flourished along the coasts of what is now central and southern Vietnam for a period of approximately one thousand years, between 500 and 1700 AD. The Cham created free-standing sandstone sculptures in round bulk, as well as high and low relief sandstone carvings. In general, they seem to have preferred to sculpt in relief, and excelled especially in high relief sculpture. Cham sculpture went through a marked succession of historical styles, the main one of which produced some of the finest works of Southeast Asian art.

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