Artist reproduces Mogao paintings on unique stones

After Chen cleans the stones, he then paints them with suitable themes from the Mogao Grottoes paintings and frescoes according to their size, shape and texture.

“But not all the stones can be painted,” Chen said.

“Actually only a few of the stones can be used to reproduce and paint the historical Mogao Grottoes paintings and frescoes and then become artistic works loved by the public,” he told local media.

A lifelike sleeping Buddha can be painted on a stone when its shape, colors and textures are suitable for such an image, Chen explained as he showed the media one of his stone paintings.

“But it took me many years to find such a suitable stone for painting the sleeping Buddha,” he said.