{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O114064"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O114064/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY0616/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY0616/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AY0616","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O114064/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O114064","accessionNumber":"IS.47-1885","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (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 has been badly damaged by fire. It depicts scenes from the Prabhasa Jataka.","physicalDescription":"This painting has been badly damaged by fire and only small parts of it can be distinguished. There appears to be a throne like structure in the centre with a king sitting inside, only his legs are visible. Around and below the throne are several men, the two most visible are the two in the front of the painting wearing white garments.","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"},{"text":"India Museum","id":"THES286062"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AY0616"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"A","id":"THES376890"},"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":"1520","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1310","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"40","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"1555","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"With frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1350","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"With frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"45","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"With frame","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Commissioned by the Government of India between 1872-1885 and deposited in the India Museum, London.\n\nHistorical significance: This painting depicts scenes from the Prabhasa Jataka.","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":"Schlingloff, D, Guide to the Ajanta paintings, Vol. 1, New Delhi, 1999."},{"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.47-1885"],"accessionNumberNum":"47","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1885,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-26","recordCreationDate":"2005-07-13","availableToBook":true}}