Kizil Caves: Buddhas in Stupas

CHINA, Xinjiang, Aksu

This votive board is decorated with images of stupas, a Buddha, and figures making offerings. Three stupas are painted in the upper register. Two ribbons hang from the top of the large central stupa and are attached to the smaller stupas on the sides. Beneath the main stupa there is the faded image of a standing Buddha. A female figure kneels at the feet of the Buddha. Below the standing Buddha, a Buddha with a colorful nimbus and mandorla sits in full lotus position on a lotus throne.
On the left and right sides, there are six seated Buddhas, three on each side, all with a similar appearance. At the bottom of the board, a couple, a young man, and a young woman, dressed in western Chinese style, are shown making offerings. Many areas of the picture have faded or peeled away. Several prints found in the Kizil Caves are illustrated with stupas that resemble the ones painted on this board.