Rolls-Royce Reimagines Ancient Chinese Mural Art in Bespoke Masterpieces
Shereen Shabnam
In a breathtaking fusion of heritage and haute design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveils a trio of Bespoke commissions inspired by one of the most profound cultural treasures of China: the ancient mural art of the Dunhuang Mogao Caves.
This is an extraordinary cultural tribute where craftsmanship meets heritage on wheels. Commissioned through the marque’s ultra-exclusive Private Office Shanghai, this trilogy, comprising a Phantom Extended, Black Badge Cullinan, and Black Badge Spectre, transcends automotive design to become rolling works of art.
Rooted in over a thousand years of artistry, the Dunhuang murals, found deep within the sacred grottoes of northwestern China, are a testament to the country’s spiritual, cultural, and artistic legacy.
Adorning cave walls along the ancient Silk Road, these paintings depict celestial beings, natural motifs, and symbolic narratives that have shaped China’s visual language across dynasties. Now, these abstract ideals are delicately translated into the contours and cabins of the world’s most luxurious motor cars.
“Dunhuang mural art is one of China’s greatest cultural treasures, where over a thousand years of sacred storytelling unfold across cave walls along the Silk Road.”
Each of the three commissions carries a recurring design motif named Silken Spirit, created by Shuai Feng, Bespoke Designer at the Shanghai Private Office. Inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy and the flowing elegance of imperial silk, the motif weaves through interiors and exteriors alike, offering a visual metaphor for grace in motion.
Arguably the most intricate of the three, the Phantom Extended is finished in a poetic two-tone—Ningye Purple, drawn from Tang Dynasty verse and the twilight skies of northern China, paired with elegant English White.
The true marvel lies within its hand-painted Gallery, where artist Chloe Dowsett recreates the movement of flying apsaras, celestial dancers of Buddhist lore, using a modern interpretation of traditional reduction block printing. Each delicate stroke, painted by sable brush on black leather, reveals depth and rhythm rarely seen in automotive artistry.
The celestial theme continues across a Starlight Headliner, where 1,344 hand-placed fibre-optic ‘stars’ and 192 ‘shooting stars’ mimic the cosmos. Inside, Cashmere Grey and Black leather upholstery, Canadel wood panelling, and inlaid stainless steel complete a cabin that is both reverent and revolutionary.
The Cullinan commission turns heads in Danqian Pink, extending to the centres of its 23-inch forged wheels. Inside, Blushing Pink leather and a complex Placed Perforation pattern, crafted from over 107,000 micro-perforations, recall the ethereal cloudscapes over Goodwood. In the rear, deep Navy leather adds dramatic contrast, while the illuminated Silken Spirit motif glows from the Bespoke Starlight Headliner, quietly asserting elegance through subtle luminosity.
In a bold expression of dichotomy, the Black Badge Spectre arrives in a dramatic Qingshan Blue and Diamond Black two-tone, with the Illuminated Grille glowing in Turchese. The interior features a striking duality: Turchese and Black leathers in the front, contrasting with a monochrome rear. Starlight Doors, a bespoke headliner, and illuminated Turchese treadplates create a symphony of colour and light that feels both futuristic and ceremonial.
Far beyond aesthetics, these commissions represent a cross-cultural dialogue and a visual meditation on heritage, modernity, and global craftsmanship. In this exquisite trilogy, Rolls-Royce Bespoke proves that a motor car can be more than an object of luxury; it can be a canvas of cultural reverence, a vessel for storytelling, and a lasting tribute to the beauty of preservation through innovation.
