Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (cave 1)
Oil Painting
1872-1873 (made)
1872-1873 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a copy of a painting on the ceiling of cave 1 at Ajanta. The white patches cover fragile areas that require conservation. The original Ajanta cave paintings are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India and date from the 1st century BC to about AD 480.
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.
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 inside the caves of Ajanta (cave 1) (series 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. |
| Physical description | This painting depicts a ceiling panel from cave one. The ceilings of the caves were meant to replicate the effect of a wooden, beamed and painted ceiling. The centre of the panel is filled with floral decoration consisting of long curling stalks with several different types of flowers and some fruit. In amongst the foliage there is a parrot and a goose and right in the centre there is a baby. This central design is surrounded by brown strips which are meant to represent the panels of a wooden ceiling. |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Commissioned by the Government of India between 1872-1885 and deposited in the India Museum, London. Historical significance: This painting depicts a ceiling panel from cave one. |
| 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 on the ceiling of cave 1 at Ajanta. The white patches cover fragile areas that require conservation. The original Ajanta cave paintings are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India and date from the 1st century BC to about AD 480. 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.132-1885 |
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| Record created | November 23, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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