{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O115441"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O115441/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KE2642/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KE2642/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017KE2642","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O115441/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O115441","accessionNumber":"IS.43-1885","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Copy of painting in the caves of Ajanta (cave 2)","type":"series title"},{"title":"Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This is a copy of a painting from the chapel inside cave 2 at Ajanta. The chapel is dedicated to two male ‘yaksha’ (nature spirits), who are depicted in stone in the centre of the chapel. The walls on either side are covered with paintings like this one, which show visitors taking offerings to the ‘yaksha’ couple.\r\n\r\nThe Ajanta cave paintings are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India. They date from the 1st century BC to about AD 480 and depict stories from the lives of the Buddha (the Jatakas).\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":"This painting depicts a party of people in a two-tiered pillared building. The group is made up of many women, one of whom is carrying a tray with offerings. There are several pot-bellied dwarfs accompanying the women and two men, one dressed in simple robes on the left hand side could be a brahmin and one carrying a stick on the right hand side.\r\n\r\nIn the top balcony there are women looking down on the group. In the sky in the top right hand corner there are two genies floating.","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":["2017KE2642"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"A","id":"THES376917"},"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":"2472","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2110","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"34","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"2485","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"with frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2139","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":"A.G.Mitchell  3/12/53","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"inscription  in pencil on central member","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Historical significance: The paintings inside the Ajanta caves tell stories of the lives of the Buddha. This painting is from the left hand side chapel inside cave 2. The chapel is dedicated to two male Yaksha  whose identity cannot be determined. They are depicted in stone in the centre of the chapel. On either side of the stone depiction are paintings across the walls, of which this is one. The paintings depict visitors taking offerings to the Yaksha couple.","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":"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.43-1885"],"accessionNumberNum":"43","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1885,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-26","recordCreationDate":"2005-08-18","availableToBook":true}}