SEMINAR

ON
WALL PAINTINGS OF KIZIL AND
KUCHA
CENTRAL ASIA
FIFTH TO SEVENTH
CENTURY CE
CENTRAL ASIA LOCATED AS A
REGION OF THE WORLD
INTRODUCTION OF CENTRAL ASIA
WESTERN CENTRAL ASIA
SILK ROUTE
LOCATION OF KIZIL AND KUCHA
SILK ROAD
ADVENT OF BUDDHISM
IN EASTERN CENTRAL
ASIA
INTRODUCTION TO KIZIL
HUGE KIZIL GROTTO TEMPLES
KIZIL CAVES
• STYLE AND THEME OF KIZIL
PAINTING.

• INDIAN AND IRANIAN

INFLUENCES IN KIZIL PAINTING.
IRANIAN ELEMENTS IN THE
PAINTING

A Mural depicting the

King and Queen of
Kucha
600-50
Kizil, Maya Cave (site
III), Xinjiang province
(L’lmpamerie Nationale,
Paris)
KUCHA
INTRODUCTION TO KUCHA
PAINTING OF KIZIL
AND KUCHA
A mural depicting the cowherd listening to the Buddha preaching

Fifth century CE
406-25(established by radiocarbon dating)
H: 60 cm, W: 33 cm
Cave of the Statues Kizil, Xinjiang province
(Museum Fur Indische Kunst, Berlin)
DETAIL OF
COWHERD
 A mural depicting a goddess with a celestial musician
Previously dated to around 600-650 but recent radiocarbon dating has established a date of
410-435.
H: 209 cm, W:134 cm,
Cave of the painted floor. (Cave 171), Kizil, Xinjiang province
(Museum Fur Indische Kunst, Berlin)
Vajrapāni, the Constant Companion of the Buddha
Kizil, Cave of the Statues
(Cave 77),
Fifth century CE
Wall painting, H: 57 cm, W: 40 cm
MIK Collection III 8839
The Self –Sacrifice of the Bodhisattva
Kizil, Cave of the Musicians
(Cave 38)
Sixth-seventh centuries CE
Wall painting, H: 30 cm, W: 25.5 cm
MIK Collection III 8390
 Graceful head of Devatā
Fifth century CE,
Kizil, Cave of Painter (cave 207),
Wall painting, H: 17 cm, W: 10 cm
DETAIL OF PAINTING
 The Buddha in a Dragon Boat
Kizil, Cave of the Musicians
Sixth-seventh centuries CE
Wall painting, H: 34 cm, W: 30.7 cm
MIK Collection III 8707
A Mural Fragment Representing Yasodhara offering Sweetmeat to Buddha
Kizil, (cave 83)
(Museum Fur Indische Kunst, Berlin)
 Young Ascetic
Wall Painting from Cave of Navigator
About 500
Kizil, Xinjiang province
(Museum Fur Indische Kunst, Berlin)
 Head of Mahākāśyapa
Kizil, Cave above the Largest Cave
Seventh century CE
Wall painting, H: 46.5 cm, W: 71 cm
MIK Collection III 8373a
A Mural Fragment Depicting a Princely Figure Holding a
Relic Casket
Kizil
A Mural depicting the King and Queen of Kucha
600-50
Kizil, Maya Cave (site III), Xinjiang province
(L’lmpamerie Nationale, Paris)
A Mural fragment depicting the Head of a Brahim
Early sixth century
H. 17 cm, W. 24 cm
Daldur-Aqur, Kucha, Xinjiang province
(Musee Guimet, Paris)
Painted wood funerary casket with depictions of an orchestra
Sixth to seventh century
H. 32.2 cm
Subashi, Kucha, Xinjiang province
(Tokyo National Museum)
DETAIL
A mural of a monk meditating before a skull
341-417 (established by radiocarbon dating)
H: 56.6 cm, W: 27.2 cm
Cave of the Seafarers, Kizil, Xinjiang province
(Museum Fur Indische Kunst, Berlin)
 CONCULSION

• Buddhism is the basic theme of Kizil and Kucha painting.

• In the painting we find early painting at Kizil shows

Indian and Iranian influence regarding the theme, style
and colour. Iranian influence also seen in later painting,
showed lesser of Indian impact.

• As whole both artistic and religious manifestations in

Kizil and Kucha paintings reflects a very intense spiritual
outlook.
THANKS