Bust Of A Goddess

8th - 9th c. AD
Bezeklik Grottoes, Xinjiang

This outstanding bust of a deva shows a finely-worked face, calm and divine. It measures 43cm (17in) by 21cm (8 in). The curving, semicircular eyebrows descending to the bridge of the nose are conventional, but the treatment of several areas of the face (eyes, eyelids, area just underneath the eyes, lips and corners of the mouth) is exceptional.