{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O115195"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O115195/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KE2649/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KE2649/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017KE2649","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O115195/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O115195","accessionNumber":"IS.17-1885","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. The 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\nThis painting shows a Bodhisattva, a highly spiritual being who is on the path to becoming a Buddha. The Bodhisattva is badly damaged but you can see his high jewelled crown, jewelled necklace and arm bands. In his left hand he holds a ‘vajra’ (thunderbolt), which identifies him as the Bodhisattva Vajrapani. The woman on his left holding a lotus is thought to be his consort.\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.","physicalDescription":"The Bodhisatva in this painting is badly damaged but it is possible to see his high jewelled crown, jewelled necklace and arm bands. In his left hand he holds a vajra (thunderbolt) thus making him a Bodhisatva Vajrapani. To the right of the painting is a woman holding a lotus, she is thought to be his consort. \r\n\r\nAbove the Bodhisattva and spread across the top of the painting are three couples who are separated from each other by rocks  and foliage depicted in the Ajanta style. There are also birds on the right hand side of the painting.","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":["2017KE2649"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"A","id":"THES376851"},"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":"1877-1878","earliest":"1877-01-01","latest":"1878-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"2195","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":"40","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"with frame","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'E.G. W'","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 lining canvas"}],"objectHistory":"Historical significance: Monika Zin's interpretation:  The Bodhisatva in this painting is the only king of a mountainous landscape at Ajanta that can be identified as a specific Bodhisatva. He should not be understood as the Buddha’s protector, but as an armed man whose appearance frightens the Buddha’s opponents and intimidates people who refuse to convert to the right path.\r\n\r\nBurgess identifies the figure as Indra.","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 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":"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.17-1885"],"accessionNumberNum":"17","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1885,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-26","recordCreationDate":"2005-08-11","availableToBook":true}}