Copy of painting in the caves of Ajanta by John Griffiths and students from the Bombay School of Art

Much of this painting is fire damaged. On the right hand side is a porch with a roof held up with decorated pillars. There is a partly open door in the background which shows a good use of perspective.

In the foreground it is possible to make out four figures plus two additional faces. The central figure appears to be that of a raja, and though his face is not visible his body is adorned with jewellery and he wears a striped lower garment. There are two women with long black curly hair in front of him, one of them is handing a sword to him. Below them two faces are just visible, they both have a single naga-hood (snake head). Another figure to the left of the painting is just visible.

The left hand side of this painting links to the right hand side of IS.10-1885.

Note: Description of painting in Burgess suggests a much bigger painting with the figures in the background more intact.
Griffiths book or Narayan’s photographs should have the whole thing pre fire of June 1885 - check.

Commissioned by the Government of India between 1872-1885 and deposited in the India Museum, London

Historical significance: The paintings inside the Ajanta caves tell stories fromthe lives of the Buddha. This painting depicts scenes from the Champaka Jataka.

Narrative:

This story involves the pious Naga king, Campaka who has been captured by a snake charmer and is being exhibited to the royal court. The images shows the wife of the Naga king entering the royal court with her child . The king asks the snake charmer to release the Naga king. In the next scene to left, the king is contemplating whether he should accept an invitation by the Naga king to his underground palace.

He does accept the invite and he is shown seated with the Naga King and his retinue in his palace. The Naga king talks to him about the value of reincarnation as a human being.
(This scene is not depicted in this painting but come immediately below it in the cave).

This painting illustrates the beginning of the narrative, where the king is shown instructing his household on asceticism.

The cave paintings of Ajanta are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India. They depict scenes from the lives of the Buddha 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 one.

Painted by John Griffiths and students from the Bombay School of Art

This is a copy of a painting in cave 1 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 scenes from the Champaka Jataka.

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.

IS.6-1885