Copy of painting in the caves of Ajanta (cave 6)
Oil Painting
1872-1885 (made)
1872-1885 (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.
The white patches on the painting are placed over fragile areas that require conservation work.
The white patches on the painting are placed over fragile areas that require conservation work.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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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 is divided into seven sections, each one has a different image in it. Some of them have seated figures and some have standing figures. In the bottom right hand corner is male figure with a young boy beside him and in the bottom left hand corner is a female with two little children. The sections are separated by thick lines of geometric and floral designs. Some have a fret motif which is very similar to European/ Greek motifs. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | E cave 6
47 (On back of canvas) |
| 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. 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.134-1885 |
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| Record created | July 13, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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