Aspara (celestial maiden),

mid–6th century CE

Fragments from the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang

Located in the western Chinese province of Gansu, Dunhuang was an important stop along the network
of Eurasian trade routes known as the Silk Roads. The Mogao caves were dug out along rock cliffs on the outskirts of Dunhuang beginning in the fourth century. Designed as spaces for Buddhist meditation and worship, such caves continued to be created at Dunhuang until the fourteenth century, by which time they had also become a destination for Buddhist pilgrimages. Buddhist paintings and sculptures cover the walls and ceilings of the hundreds of chambers making up the Mogao caves. Among the works of art are numerous depictions of buddhas, apsaras (celestial maidens), and disciples, including Ananda, a devoted attendant of the Buddha.

Comparative Image:

Interior of Mogao Cave 285 of the Western Wei dynasty (535–557) at Dunhuang, Gansu province, China