Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (cave 17)
Oil Painting
1881-1883 (made)
1881-1883 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a copy of a painting in cave 17 at Ajanta. These 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).
The Ajanta 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 replace them, from 1872 to 1885 John Griffiths from the Bombay School of Art and seven Indian students spent every winter at the caves producing approximately 300 paintings. This is one of them.
The Ajanta 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 replace them, from 1872 to 1885 John Griffiths from the Bombay School of Art and seven Indian students spent every winter at the caves producing approximately 300 paintings. This is one of them.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Oil on canvas |
| Brief description | Copy of Fresco 'r' in Cave '17' in the caves of Ajanta by John Griffiths and students from the Bombay School of Art, oil on canvas, 1872-1885, India. |
| Physical description | This painting depicts a panel from one of the pilasters in cave seventeen. This painting is divided into eight sections. Each of the sections has a different design; some have a bunch of flowers, some have a bunch of fruit, one has a goose, one an elephant and one has two elf-like figures in it. The sections are separated by thick lines of geometric designs. The two wider bands have a fret motif which is very similar to European/ Greek motifs. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | From first palaster right side wall
cave 17 (On back of canvas) |
| Credit line | Received from the India Office |
| Object history | Commissioned by the Government of India between 1872-1885 and deposited in the India Museum, London. Received from the India Office. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project. |
| 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 17 at Ajanta. These 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). The Ajanta 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 replace them, from 1872 to 1885 John Griffiths from the Bombay School of Art and seven Indian students spent every winter at the caves producing approximately 300 paintings. This is one of them. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.99-1887 |
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| Record created | July 13, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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