Copy of painting inside the Ajanta caves (cave 17)
1882
oil
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1882
oil
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This painting copies an ancient wall mural in India’s Ajanta Cave 17. Bright reds and golds outline six past Buddhas, the present Buddha Sakyamuni, and the future Buddha Maitreya. These figures tell stories from the Buddha’s past lives called Jatakas. Griffiths added oil paint in 1881 to save the fading original, which dates back 2,000 years. White patches mark areas too fragile to touch. The light catches the Buddhas’ robes, making them glow against the cave’s rough stone. See how Griffiths’ work compares to the artist’s other copies at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
