Not currently on display at the V&A

Copy of painting inside the Ajanta caves (cave 17)

Oil Painting
1881-1883 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is a copy of a painting above the entrance to cave 17 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).

Here the line of Buddhas represents the six Buddhas of the past, together with the present Buddha Sakyamuni, and the future Buddha Maitreya.

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

Categories
Object type
TitleCopy of painting inside the Ajanta caves (cave 17) (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Oil on canvas
Brief description
Copy of painting 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 is copied from the top of a doorway. It depicts a row of eight images of the Buddha. Each is separated from the other by a pillar. The Buddha images are all different with varied hand gestures, different backgrounds and trees under which they sit. Below the row of Buddhas is a line of floral decoration. Directly below this is a row of eight amorous couples. The figures are all dressed in fine fabrics. Two more strips of floral decoration follow and form the top of a doorway.
Dimensions
  • Height: 1470mm
  • Width: 3120mm
  • Depth: 40mm
  • With frame height: 1520mm
  • With frame width: 3170mm
  • With frame depth: 50mm
Object history
Historical significance: The paintings inside the caves tell stories from the lives of the Buddha. This painting is copied from the top of the doorway leading into cave 17.

According to Zin's book, the Buddhas are all identifiable as the six Buddhas of the past, together with our Buddha Sakyamuni and the future Buddha Maitreya. Some of the Buddhas can be identified because of the trees that they sit under.
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 one.
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 above the entrance to cave 17 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).

Here the line of Buddhas represents the six Buddhas of the past, together with the present Buddha Sakyamuni, and the future Buddha Maitreya.

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.
Bibliographic references
  • Griffiths, J, The paintings in the Buddhist cave temples of Ajanta, India, 1896
  • Zin, M, Guide to the Ajanta Paintings, Vol.2, New Delhi, 2003.
  • Burgess, J, Notes on the Bauddha Rock-Temples of Ajanta, Bombay, 1879
Collection
Accession number
IS.9-1885

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdAugust 11, 2005
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest