Artwork Page for Caves of Karlie: No. 1, The Approach

Details / Information for Caves of Karlie: No. 1, The Approach

Caves of Karlie: No. 1, The Approach

1855–62

William Johnson

(British, active India, 1852–1868)
Culture
India
Medium
albumen print
Measurements
Paper: 19 x 24.3 cm (7 1/2 x 9 9/16 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2024.77
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

The largest prayer hall in this complex of Buddhist shrines cut into the rock is a sanctuary 124 feet long with a ribbed vault 45 feet high.

Description

This early view of the entrance to the ancient Karlie, or Karla, Caves in Western India shows the site before its restoration, including the monumental entrance pillar topped by a sculpture. Windows cut into the rock provided light inside. The shrines, created between the 2nd century BCE and the 5th century CE, provided sanctuary and shelter for monks but also for travelers and traders.
An albumen print depicts a horizontal sepia-toned landscape of rock-cut temples within a steep cliff. A tall stone pillar topped with lions stands central. Near its base, three figures with medium-dark skin are positioned. To the left, a person stands beside a thatched stone building while another sits in its doorway. Deep shadows mark the cave openings and carved columns. Sparse vegetation and dry grass cling to the textured, sun-drenched rock face.

Caves of Karlie: No. 1, The Approach

1855–62

William Johnson

(British, active India, 1852–1868)
India

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