A Life Between Wales and Bombay
The story of John Griffiths begins in Llanfair Caereinion, Montgomeryshire. Born on 29 November 1837, he was the son of Evan Griffiths and Mary Evans. After his father passed away, his mother took a position as housekeeper for Sir James Clark, the physician to Queen Victoria. It was this connection that led to a formal education at what is now the Royal College of Art. His early years were shaped by the care of his uncle, Richard Griffiths, on the Neuadd Uchaf farm.
His hands first worked within the walls of the South Kensington Museum, now known as the V&A. There, he was involved in the physical decoration of the buildings. In 1865, a new chapter began when he moved to India. He arrived in Bombay to serve as the principal of the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art. During this time, he lived alongside John Lockwood Kipling, and became the godfather to Rudyard Kipling.
The Work in Stone and Ink
In Bombay, Griffiths's work moved from the classroom to the very fabric of the city. He helped design the decorations for several new public buildings, including the High Court and the Victoria Terminus. His focus often rested on the intersection of architecture and ornament. Much of his time was spent supervising the application of design to these large-scale structures.
Perhaps his most enduring labor involved the Buddhist cave temples at Ajanta. Between 1872 and 1885, Griffiths and a group of seven Indian students from his school spent their winters at the caves. They worked to produce copies of the ancient paintings found on the walls. This effort resulted in two large folio volumes titled The paintings in the Buddhist Cave Temples at Ajanta, published between 1896 and 1897. These records captured details that might otherwise have been lost to time.
Later Years and Legacy
After a decade in Bombay, his career took him to Lahore. He served as the Principal of the Mayo School of Art and held the position of Curator of the Museum there. His later years saw a return to more familiar landscapes. After retiring in 1895, he moved back to Montgomeryshire, living at Gwernydd in Manafon. Eventually, he settled in Norton, Sherborne, in Dorset.
His life ended on 1 December 1918. He left behind a body of work that included:
- Detailed copies of the Ajanta cave paintings.
- Architectural decorations for Bombay's public institutions.
- Paintings of Indian scenery and native life exhibited at the Royal Academy.
- Works held within Her Majesty the Queen's collection.
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