{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O114057"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O114057/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY0551/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY0551/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AY0551","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O114057/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O114057","accessionNumber":"IS.131-1885","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Copy of painting in the caves of Ajanta (cave 17)","type":"series title"},{"title":"Copy of painting from 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 is likely to be of a yaksha figure (nature-spirit) and can be found in cave seventeen at Ajanta.The white patches on the painting are placed over fragile areas that require conservation work.","physicalDescription":"An elegant male figure adorned with jewellery and wearing a blue and white striped lower garment. Likely to be a Yaksha figure (nature-spirit).","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":"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":["2006AY0551"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"B","id":"THES376951"},"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":"1383","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"557","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"22","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"1402","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"With frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"574","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"With frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"39","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"With frame","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"T.Doody 1880","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Written in small letters on right hand side in pencil"},{"content":"Cave 17","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":"Historical significance: Painting to be found on one of the pilasters in cave 17. As the figure in the painting is not wearing a crown it is likely to be a Yaksha (nature-spirit) rather than a Bodhisattva king. See ref in Monika Zin's book.","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 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":"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.131-1885"],"accessionNumberNum":"131","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1885,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-28","recordCreationDate":"2005-07-13","availableToBook":true}}