1878
oil
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Copy of painting inside the caves of Ajanta (Cave 1) is a 1878 oil by John Griffiths, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting copies a 2,000-year-old cave mural in India. A Bodhisattva sits with a jewel-studded crown, though his face is worn away. The colors are bright but flat, like a faded photo. Griffiths painted this in 1877. He used oil paints to copy the original Buddhist artwork. The cave murals tell stories of the Buddha’s past lives. The original murals are in Ajanta Caves, India. See how Griffiths handled the paint. Look up Griffiths, John.
The damaged Bodhisattva in this copy of an Ajanta cave painting wears a high jewelled crown, necklace, and arm bands and holds a vajra in his left hand, identifying him as Vajrapani. To his right, a woman holding a lotus is believed to represent his consort. Above, three couples are separated by rocky terrain and foliage in the Ajanta style, with birds visible on the right. The original Ajanta paintings, dating from the 1st century BC to AD 480, depict Buddhist narratives and were documented by John Griffiths and his students between 1872 and 1885.
Read the full account in the museum source.
John Griffiths (29 November 1837 – 1 December 1918) was a Welsh artist who worked in India, noted for his Orientalist works.
See the richer artist page
