Copy of painting in the caves of Ajanta (cave 2)
Painting
1872-1885 (made)
1872-1885 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a copy of a painting inside cave 2 at Ajanta. The cave paintings here are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India. They date from the 1st century BC to about AD 480 and depict stories from the lives of the Buddha (the Jatakas).
This painting represents a ceiling panel of the main shrine in cave 2. The design is dominated by a lotus rosette in the centre from which concentric bands radiate. Each register has a different design. In the four corners are small dwarf-like figures with sweet faces and big bellies. Surrounded by clouds, they are flying towards the Buddha and carry offering trays of flowers in their hands.
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.
This painting represents a ceiling panel of the main shrine in cave 2. The design is dominated by a lotus rosette in the centre from which concentric bands radiate. Each register has a different design. In the four corners are small dwarf-like figures with sweet faces and big bellies. Surrounded by clouds, they are flying towards the Buddha and carry offering trays of flowers in their hands.
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.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Copy of painting in the caves of Ajanta (cave 2) (generic title) |
| 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, oil on canvas, 19th century, India |
| Physical description | This painting represents a ceiling panel inside cave 2 at Ajanta (ceiling of main shrine). There is a lotus rosette in the centre from which concentric bands radiate out. Each band has a different design within it. Immediately following the rosette are three circles of plain colour and after this is a circle of different types of flowers. Following this are two more plain rings followed by a wide band of black and white geometric designs. This band is circled by three plain rings of colour. In the four corners are small dwarf like figures with sweet faces and big bellies. They are flying towards the Buddha and carry offering of trays of flowers in their hands. They are surrounded by clouds. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Cave no 2 / 13' ((On stretcher bar written showing from ceiling room 4 ) see condition report) |
| Object history | Commissioned by Government of India between 1872-1885 and deposited at the India Museum, London |
| 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 inside cave 2 at Ajanta. The cave paintings here are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India. They date from the 1st century BC to about AD 480 and depict stories from the lives of the Buddha (the Jatakas). This painting represents a ceiling panel of the main shrine in cave 2. The design is dominated by a lotus rosette in the centre from which concentric bands radiate. Each register has a different design. In the four corners are small dwarf-like figures with sweet faces and big bellies. Surrounded by clouds, they are flying towards the Buddha and carry offering trays of flowers in their hands. 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. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.139-1885 |
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| Record created | October 21, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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