{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O115180"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O115180/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KE2607/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KE2607/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017KE2607","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O115180/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O115180","accessionNumber":"IS.5-1885","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (Cave 1)","type":"series title"}],"summaryDescription":"This is a copy of a painting in cave 1 at Ajanta. The white patches cover fragile areas that require conservation work. These 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). This one shows scenes from the Maitribala Jataka.\r\n\r\nThe 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.","physicalDescription":"Much of the left hand side of the painting has been damaged by fire. What remains of the left hand side shows a  palace setting with a roof held up with decorated pillars. Within this can be seen several female figures. The central figure seated on a green cushion is likely to be a rani. To the right of her is a woman holding a flywisk and wearing a striped cloth around her loins. To the right of that scene is  the doorway or gateway to the palace and within it’s wall is a window in which stands a lota (waterpot). On the other side of the gateway to the right of the painting is a rural scene showing a group of cows, some of them green, surrounded  by foliage and rocks depicted in the Ajanta style. Just visible above the cows is a green demon.\r\n\r\nDamaged in the fire and then stuck onto another canvas. See B&W photograph of damaged canvas. Description of painting  in Burgess gives details of the figures in the top left hand corner.","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":["2017KE2607"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"A","id":"THES376947"},"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":"1875-1876","earliest":"1875-01-01","latest":"1876-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"2740","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1490","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"2750","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1520","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":"Historical significance: The paintings inside the Ajanta caves tell stories from the lives of the Buddha. This painting depicts scenes from the Maitribala jataka. \r\n\r\nNarrative: \r\nThe power of king Maitribala (which means the power of Benevolence) is such that the goodness he radiates protects all who live in  his kingdom from harm. In this painting, the king (no longer visible- damaged bit) sits talking to his wife surrounded by the royal household. Meanwhile in the mountains where the cattle graze, a cowherd explains to some demons who have gathered that in this kingdom no one can be harmed by them because of the king’s powers. \r\n\r\nTo test this out the demons dress up as Brahmins and come to the royal household requesting food and drink from the king. When the king gives them vegetarian food they throw off their disguises and appear as demons requesting fresh meat and blood. The king who never harms another living thing offers them his own flesh and blood.  (this scene is not depicted).","historicalContext":"The cave paintings of Ajanta are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India. They depict scenes from the lives of the Buddha 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 from 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.5-1885"],"accessionNumberNum":"5","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1885,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-26","recordCreationDate":"2005-08-11","availableToBook":true}}