Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (cave 16)
Oil Painting
1872-1885 (made)
1872-1885 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
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This is a copy of a painting in cave 16 at Ajanta. The white patches cover fragile areas that require conservation work. These cave paintings date from the 1st century BC to about AD 480 and are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India. They depict stories from the lives of the Buddha (the Jatakas).
This one shows a scene from the Maitribala Jataka. King Maitribala (‘power of benevolence’) radiates a goodness that protects all who live in his kingdom. Here, demons in disguise come to the royal household requesting food and drink. When the king gives them vegetarian food they throw off their disguises and demand fresh meat and blood. The king, who will not harm another living thing, offers them his own flesh and blood.
The Ajanta cave complex was discovered in 1819 and attempts were made to document the paintings inside them. In 1844 Major Robert Gill was commissioned to make copies. Unfortunately most of the paintings he completed were destroyed in a fire in 1866. To make up for this loss, from 1872 to 1885 John Griffiths from the Bombay School of Art and seven Indian students spent every winter at the caves. This is one of the approximately 300 paintings they produced.
This one shows a scene from the Maitribala Jataka. King Maitribala (‘power of benevolence’) radiates a goodness that protects all who live in his kingdom. Here, demons in disguise come to the royal household requesting food and drink. When the king gives them vegetarian food they throw off their disguises and demand fresh meat and blood. The king, who will not harm another living thing, offers them his own flesh and blood.
The Ajanta cave complex was discovered in 1819 and attempts were made to document the paintings inside them. In 1844 Major Robert Gill was commissioned to make copies. Unfortunately most of the paintings he completed were destroyed in a fire in 1866. To make up for this loss, from 1872 to 1885 John Griffiths from the Bombay School of Art and seven Indian students spent every winter at the caves. This is one of the approximately 300 paintings they produced.
Object details
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| Materials and techniques | Oil on canvas |
| Brief description | Copy of painting in the caves of Ajanta by John Griffiths and students of the Bombay School of Art. |
| Physical description | This painting shows a group of demons outside a gateway. On the other side of the gateway, on the left side of the painting there are three men in robes. On the right hand side of the painting, near the demons, there are a group of cows. |
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| Credit line | Received from the India Office |
| Object history | Historical significance: This painting depicts scenes from the Maitribala Jataka. Narrative: The power of king Maitribala (which means the power of Benevolence) is such that the goodness he radiates protects all who live in his kingdom from harm. In the mountains where the cattle graze, a cowherd explains to some demons who have gathered that in this kingdom no one can be harmed by them because of the king’s powers. To test this out the demons dress up as Brahmins and come to the royal household requesting food and drink from the king. When the king gives them vegetarian food they throw off their disguises and appear as demons requesting fresh meat and blood. The king who never harms another living thing offers them his own flesh and blood. |
| Historical context | The cave paintings of Ajanta are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India. They depict stories from the lives of the Buddha (the jatakas) and date from the 1st century BC to about AD 480. The cave complex was discovered in 1819 and since then attempts have been made to document the paintings inside them. In 1844 Major Robert Gill was commissioned to make copies. Unfortunately most of the paintings he completed were destroyed in a fire in 1866. To make up for this loss, from 1872, John Griffiths from the Bombay school of Art and seven Indian students spent every winter for the following 13 years at the caves producing approximately 300 paintings, of which this is an example. |
| Production | Painted by John Griffiths and students from the Bombay School of Art |
| Subject depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | This is a copy of a painting in cave 16 at Ajanta. The white patches cover fragile areas that require conservation work. These cave paintings date from the 1st century BC to about AD 480 and are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India. They depict stories from the lives of the Buddha (the Jatakas). This one shows a scene from the Maitribala Jataka. King Maitribala (‘power of benevolence’) radiates a goodness that protects all who live in his kingdom. Here, demons in disguise come to the royal household requesting food and drink. When the king gives them vegetarian food they throw off their disguises and demand fresh meat and blood. The king, who will not harm another living thing, offers them his own flesh and blood. The Ajanta cave complex was discovered in 1819 and attempts were made to document the paintings inside them. In 1844 Major Robert Gill was commissioned to make copies. Unfortunately most of the paintings he completed were destroyed in a fire in 1866. To make up for this loss, from 1872 to 1885 John Griffiths from the Bombay School of Art and seven Indian students spent every winter at the caves. This is one of the approximately 300 paintings they produced. |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.17-1892 |
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| Record created | July 6, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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