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

This painting represents a ceiling panel inside cave 2 at Ajanta (ceiling inside the Yaksa chapel). There is a lotus rosette in the centre and concentric circles radiating out from there each with different designs. Immediately following the rosette are three circles of plain colour and after this is a circle of 23 white geese surrounded by flowers. Following this are a few more plain bands of colour and then more ornate bands. After this point the artists have only completed one quarter of the design inside the largest circle. This completed section shows the complex scroll-like forms, demonic faces and jewels which make up the entire panel. The copy artists probably did not finish the whole painting because of the length of time taken to complete such details. In the four corners of the panel are figures and faces. At two opposing ends are demons with fangs, teeth and rams horns surrounded by scroll-like forms. In the other two corners are beasts surrounded by scrolls-like forms.

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

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.

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

This is a copy of a ceiling panel in cave 2 at Ajanta. The artists have painted only a section within the larger circle to indicate the complexity of the design because there was not time to paint all the details.

The Ajanta 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).

The 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.15-1885