{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O119128"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O119128/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY0548/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY0548/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AY0548","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AY0546","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O119128/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O119128","accessionNumber":"IS.96-1887","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Copy of painting inside 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\nThe white patches on the painting are placed over fragile areas that require conservation work.","physicalDescription":"This painting has been blackened by fire and water damage. Not all parts are clearly visible. The painting is split into two sections with the bottom quarter showing incomplete scenes set in a rocky, tree filled landscape. \r\n\r\nIn the top section of the painting, on the right hand side there is a palace setting with a group of people that are difficult to identify. On the left hand side is a much simpler  domestic structure inside which are lots of pots stacked on top of each other along with two antelopes and two male figures. There are many figures and another simple structure in the middle section of the painting – this section is more damaged than others.","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"},{"text":"India Museum","id":"THES286062"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AY0548","2006AY0546"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"B","id":"THES376960"},"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":"Received from the India Office","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"2280","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2952","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"30","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"2305","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"With frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2974","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":"V. Front wall, cave 17\r\n9' 9\" wide - 7'6\" high","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":"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 Mrga Jataka.\n\nReceived from the India Office. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.","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 Fresco 'V' in Cave '17' in the caves of Ajanta by John Griffiths and students from the Bombay School of Art, oil on canvas, 1872-1885, India.","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":"","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.96-1887"],"accessionNumberNum":"96","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1887,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-26","recordCreationDate":"2005-11-25","availableToBook":true}}