Who painted Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (Cave 1)?

Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (Cave 1) was painted by John Griffiths in 1874.

Where can I see Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (Cave 1)?

Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (Cave 1) is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (Cave 1)?

Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (Cave 1) is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (Cave 1)

John Griffiths , 1874

Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (Cave 1) is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist John Griffiths. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

This oil painting is a 19th-century copy of an ancient mural from Ajanta Cave 1, reproducing a scene from the Champaka Jataka, one of the Buddha’s past life stories.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a narrative from the Champaka Jataka, a story illustrating a past life of the Buddha, highlighting the religious and mythological themes prevalent in the original Ajanta cave artworks.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil painting, this copy differs in medium from the original cave murals, which were likely created with natural pigments on plaster. The style aims to faithfully replicate the ancient Indian artwork.

History & Provenance

Created between 1872 and 1885 by John Griffiths and Indian students from the Bombay School of Art, this painting was part of an effort to recreate copies of the Ajanta murals after earlier reproductions by Major Robert Gill were lost in an 1866 fire.

Context

The original murals in Ajanta Cave 1 date from the 1st century BC to AD 480, making them the oldest surviving examples of Indian painting. The cave complex, rediscovered in 1819, has since been subject to various documentation efforts.