Copy of painting inside the Ajanta caves (cave 2)
Oil Painting
1881-1883 (made)
1881-1883 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a copy of a painting inside cave 2 at Ajanta. The original 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 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.
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 | |
| Title | Copy of painting inside the Ajanta caves (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 from the Bombay School of Art, oil on canvas, 1872-1885, India. |
| Dimensions |
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| 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 inside cave 2 at Ajanta. The original 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 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 |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.8-1885 |
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| Record created | June 29, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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