Apsaras

Grey sandstone figure of a flying apsaras bearing an offering bowl. The apsaras floats as if reclining on the right elbow with a slender hand clasping the waistband, while the left arm raises the bowl. The head is shown in three-quarter view, with characteristic arched eyebrows, downcast eyes and broad nose. The small bud-like mouth is set in a sweet smile. The hair is drawn up to form a large, stiff, flaring topknot to which is attached a small section of the border which originally framed the piece. The apsaras wears a loose belted robe that falls open in a V-shape at the chest, and covers the extended legs in loose folds. Incised vertical bands at the front and rows of curved lines on the arms delineate the drapery. The grainy stone has a greyish-brown patina with traces of pigment.

Provenance:

Yungang cave temples, Shanxi province, Cave 1, south wall, east niche.

C.T. Loo, Paris and New York.

Bjorkman collection, Switzerland.

Published:

C.T. Loo and Co., ‘An Exhibition of Chinese Stone Sculptures’, New York, 1940, number 13, plate 8.

C.T. Loo and Co., ‘Chinese Arts’, New York, 1941 - 42, number 937.

See also:

Seiichi Mizuno and Toshio Nagahiro, ‘Yun-Kang: The Buddhist Cave-Temples of the Fifth Century A.D. in North China’, volume 1, Kyoto, 1952, plate 14, top right for what appears to be the original location of the apsaras.

The carving of the caves in the sandstone cliffs at Yungang began around 460, on the instructions of the Wei emperor Wencheng, in commemoration of the earlier Wei kings, and at the request of the Buddhist monk Tan Yao. Part of the reason was also to expiate the Buddhist persecutions of a few years earlier. Caves 1 and 2, together with Caves 5 and 6, which are stylistically linked, were finished by the early 480s. All four caves consist of a single chamber, entered through a narrow door and in each, there is an exuberantly carved central pillar. The walls and ceilings are covered with figures of all sizes, the largest figures often under canopies or set within architectural elements. The apsarasas are mainly confined to the ceilings and upper levels of the caves as befits their status as celestial beings.




	3 Sandstone Apsaras Northern Wei period, late 5th century Height: 37.4cm
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	Grey sandstone figure of a flying apsaras bearing an offering bowl. The apsaras floats as if reclining on the right elbow with a slender hand clasping the waistband, while the left arm raises the bowl. The head is shown in three-quarter view, with characteristic arched eyebrows, downcast eyes and broad nose. The small bud-like mouth is set in a sweet smile. The hair is drawn up to form a large, stiff, flaring topknot to which is attached a small section of the border which originally framed the piece. The apsaras wears a loose belted robe that falls open in a V-shape at the chest, and covers the extended legs in loose folds. Incised vertical bands at the front and rows of curved lines on the arms delineate the drapery. The grainy stone has a greyish-brown patina with traces of pigment. Provenance: Yungang cave temples, Shanxi province, Cave 1, south wall, east niche. C.T. Loo, Paris and New York. Bjorkman collection, Switzerland. Published: C.T. Loo and Co., ‘An Exhibition of Chinese Stone Sculptures’, New York, 1940, number 13, plate 8. C.T. Loo and Co., ‘Chinese Arts’, New York, 1941 - 42, number 937. See also: Seiichi Mizuno and Toshio Nagahiro, ‘Yun-Kang: The Buddhist Cave-Temples of the Fifth Century A.D. in North China’, volume 1, Kyoto, 1952, plate 14, top right for what appears to be the original location of the apsaras. The carving of the caves in the sandstone cliffs at Yungang began around 460, on the instructions of the Wei emperor Wencheng, in commemoration of the earlier Wei kings, and at the request of the Buddhist monk Tan Yao. Part of the reason was also to expiate the Buddhist persecutions of a few years earlier. Caves 1 and 2, together with Caves 5 and 6, which are stylistically linked, were finished by the early 480s. All four caves consist of a single chamber, entered through a narrow door and in each, there is an exuberantly carved central pillar. The walls and ceilings are covered with figures of all sizes, the largest figures often under canopies or set within architectural elements. The apsarasas are mainly confined to the ceilings and upper levels of the caves as befits their status as celestial beings.