Yongle Palace is home to one of the great treasures of ancient Chinese paintings. The murals contained total 1000 square meters and depict Taoist saints, deities, scenes from heaven, and of everyday life.

Built during the Yuan Dynasty, the frescoes predate the European Renaissance and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel by nearly 200 years.

This image is of a Deva, a person who lives in heaven.

To simulate the original fresco techniques, mineral powder pigments are mixed with a special glue to create water pigments, which are then applied to the canvas with a stiff brush. After the work is completed, a layer of glue is needed to prevent the paint from falling off.

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