Vintage Chiense Scroll Painting Celestial Figure Kakejiku — Paper (SKU: 0509-3)

Chinese Scroll Painting | Wall Art 1980s, SKU 0509-3

This horizontal painting from the 1980s is inspired by the celebrated murals of the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang, specifically referencing Cave 285. The composition depicts a celestial musician gracefully floating through space while playing a flute, surrounded by flowing ribbons and elongated drapery rendered in sweeping, rhythmic lines.

Executed in a style influenced by ancient Buddhist wall paintings of the Northern Wei and Western Wei periods, the figure combines delicate facial features with highly stylized movement, evoking the spiritual elegance associated with Dunhuang imagery. The restrained palette of soft blues, black ink tones, and muted earth colors reflects the aesthetic language of traditional cave mural painting while maintaining a distinctly modern presentation.

Calligraphy along the side references “敦煌莫高窟第285窟” (Dunhuang Mogao Cave 285), acknowledging the historical source material that inspired the work. Mounted as a horizontal scroll, the piece carries both decorative presence and cultural resonance, blending 20th-century Chinese artistic revivalism with imagery rooted in Silk Road Buddhist art traditions.

• Origin: China
• Era: 1980s
• Material: Ink and mineral pigments on paper; mounted on brocade-bordered scroll with wooden hanging rod
• Dimensions: 22"W x 65"H
• Condition: Excellent

A rare and expressive piece of vintage Japanese scroll painting -- this kakejiku brings the transcendent beauty of East Asian celestial art into any modern living space.

We use professional studio lighting to highlight the natural character of the wood. As a result, the tone may appear slightly warmer than under natural daylight.

All vintage and antique items are sold as-is. Each piece may exhibit signs of age, including scratches, wear, or minor imperfections. These are not considered defects but natural evidence of the item’s authenticity and age.