"Dunhuang Murals — Kalavinka Caisson" Square Lacquer Plate

Dunhuang Murals — Kalavinka Caisson Square Lacquer Plate

In Buddhist cosmology, the Kalavinka is a bird of paradise whose song is said to be heard even before birth — a creature of pure beauty, existing at the threshold between the earthly and the divine. In the caisson ceilings of the Dunhuang Mogao Caves, it dances at the centre of an intricate geometric canopy, presiding over sacred space for over a thousand years.

This square lacquer plate brings that image into the present. Handcrafted by YQ Lacquer in Guangzhou using natural lacquer over a paper and linen body — a technique refined across centuries — the Kalavinka motif is rendered with the precision and depth that only hand-applied lacquer can achieve. At 280 × 280mm, it works as a wall piece, a display object, or a ceremonial focal point.

• Material: Natural lacquer, paper, tile ash, tin powder, linen fabric
• Construction: Paper body lacquerware — natural lacquer built over layers of paper and linen fabric
• Dimensions: 280 × 280 × 10mm
• Motif: Kalavinka caisson — inspired by Buddhist ceiling art of the Dunhuang Mogao Caves
• Origin: Handcrafted by YQ Lacquer (乙漆), Guangzhou, China
• Edition: Each piece is unique — variations in colour and surface are inherent to the craft

No two pieces are identical. The depth of lacquer, the warmth of colour, and the texture of the surface vary naturally — each one a singular work.