The Colours of Ancient Central Asian Wall Paintings and Their Technological History
Date: Thursday, April 30th 2026, 6 pm
Speaker: Toralf Gabsch
Location: Museum in Dahlem / Small lecture hall at Takustraße 40, 14195 Berlin
As in his last lecture, conservator Toralf Gabsch will once again let us in on the secrets of Central Asian wall paintings. This time the focus will be on the colours used and their history.
The wall paintings of the Buddhist cave temples are among the most impressive objects in the Central Asian collection in the Museum of Asian Art. They were already a highlight for visitors in the exhibition rooms in Dahlem and are now being presented in a new guise in the exhibition rooms of the Humboldt Forum. Kizil Cave 123, the so-called “Cave of the Ring-Bearing Doves”, is particularly fascinating and its reconstruction is a unique experience for visitors.
III 8839 © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Museum für Asiatische Kunst
