{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O113954"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O113954/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY0540/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY0540/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AY0540","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O113954/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O113954","accessionNumber":"IS.39-1885","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Copy of painting in the caves of Ajantan (cave 17)","type":"series title"},{"title":"Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"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.\r\n\r\nThis painting can be found in cave 17 at Ajanta.The white patches on the painting are placed over fragile areas that require conservation work.","physicalDescription":"This painting has been badly damaged by fire across the left hand side and top. The painting is of a woman, her face is not visible though the flowers in her hair are. She wears many jewels and is carrying a tray in her hands which she has tipped over. Flowers can be seen falling from the tray.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Griffiths, John","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":"oil colour","id":"AAT15050"},{"text":"canvas","id":"AAT14078"}],"techniques":[{"text":"oil painting","id":"AAT178684"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oil on canvas","categories":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AY0540"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"B","id":"THES376885"},"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":"1881-1883","earliest":"1881-01-01","latest":"1883-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"1230","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"700","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"1280","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"745","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"40","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Frame","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","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 one.","briefDescription":"Copy of painting in the caves of Ajanta by John Griffiths and students of the Bombay School of Art.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Griffiths, J, The paintings in the Buddhist cave temples of Ajanta, India, 1896"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Zin, M, Guide to the Ajanta Paintings, Vol.2, New Delhi, 2003."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Burgess, J, Notes on the Bauddha Rock-Temples of Ajanta, Bombay, 1879"}],"production":"","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.39-1885"],"accessionNumberNum":"39","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1885,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-26","recordCreationDate":"2005-07-06","availableToBook":true}}