Copy of painting in the caves of Ajanta (cave 17)
Oil Painting
1881-1883 (made)
1881-1883 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
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.
This painting is likely to be of a yaksha figure (nature-spirit) and can be found in cave seventeen at Ajanta.The white patches on the painting are placed over fragile areas that require conservation work.
This painting is likely to be of a yaksha figure (nature-spirit) and can be found in cave seventeen at Ajanta.The white patches on the painting are placed over fragile areas that require conservation work.
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 | An elegant male figure adorned with jewellery and wearing a blue and white striped lower garment. Likely to be a Yaksha figure (nature-spirit). |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Historical significance: Painting to be found on one of the pilasters in cave 17. As the figure in the painting is not wearing a crown it is likely to be a Yaksha (nature-spirit) rather than a Bodhisattva king. See ref in Monika Zin's book. |
| 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 | 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. This painting is likely to be of a yaksha figure (nature-spirit) and can be found in cave seventeen at Ajanta.The white patches on the painting are placed over fragile areas that require conservation work. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.131-1885 |
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| Record created | July 13, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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