{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O113952"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O113952/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY0621/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY0621/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AY0621","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV6897","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O113952/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O113952","accessionNumber":"IS.80-1887","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (cave 16)","type":"series title"},{"title":"Copy of painting from the caves of Ajanta","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This is a copy of a painting in cave 16 at Ajanta. The white patches cover fragile areas that require conservation work. It depicts Kubera, the god of prosperity and ruler of all ‘yakshas’ (nature-spirits). He is adorned with beautiful strings of pearls and has a bag in his hand from which coins are falling. \r\n\r\nThe 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).  \r\n\r\nThe 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.\r\nThe white patches on the painting are placed over fragile areas that require conservation work.","physicalDescription":"This painting is of a seated male figure. He is wearing a patterned dhoti (lower garment) and is adorned with strings of pearls, bracelets and armlets. His face is not visible, in his right hand he holds a fruit and in his other hand he holds a striped bag from which coins are falling. He is reclining on a patterned cushion. Behind his left shoulder there is a green figure also adorned with jewellery.\r\n\r\nThis is a painting of Kubera, the god of prosperity and ruler of all Yakshas (nature-spirits). At his feet is a lotus which is not seen in this painting. This is one of Kubera’s treasures. The coins from his purse fall onto the lotus.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"John Griffiths","id":"A4223"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Bombay School of Art","id":"A2830"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"canvas","id":"AAT14078"}],"techniques":[{"text":"oil painting","id":"AAT178684"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oil on canvas","categories":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"India Museum","id":"THES286062"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AY0621","2017JV6897"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"A","id":"THES376881"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"oil painting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Ajanta","id":"x39072"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1880-1883","earliest":"1880-01-01","latest":"1883-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Received from the India Office","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"1250","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1060","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"36.5","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"1265","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"with frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1080","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"with frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"38","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"with frame","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"G\r\nRight end wall of front aisle \r\nCave 16\r\n4-2 high 9-6 wide","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"On back of canvas"}],"objectHistory":"Commissioned by the Government of India between 1872-1885 and deposited in the India Museum, London.\r\n\r\nReceived from the India Office. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.","historicalContext":"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.","briefDescription":"Copy of Fresco 'G' in Cave '16' in the caves of Ajanta by John Griffiths and students from the Bombay School of Art, oil on canvas, 1872-1885, India.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Griffiths, J, The paintings in the Buddhist cave temples of Ajanta, India, 1896"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Burgess, J, Notes on the Bauddha Rock-Temples of Ajanta, Bombay, 1879"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Zin, M, Guide to the Ajanta Paintings, Vol.2, New Delhi, 2003."}],"production":"Painted by John Griffiths and students from the Bombay School of Art","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"India","id":"x29790"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.80-1887"],"accessionNumberNum":"80","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1887,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-10-02","recordCreationDate":"2005-07-06","availableToBook":true}}