THE life story of John Griffiths is one of chance and no little talent.

He was born in Llanfair Caereinion on November 29 1837 though his father, Evan had died while he was still young.

His mother, Mary, had become housekeeper to Sir James Clarke who would be appointed Queen Victoria’s physician shortly after her coronation.

Young John had remained in Llanfair where he was brought up by his uncle Richard at Neaudd Uchaf farm though one day he had impressed Sir James who had noted his artistic leanings.

Sir James had ensured John trained at the forefather of the Royal College of Art in London where he would further hone his skills in decorating the Kensington Museum.

John emigrated to India in 1865 where he became a professor at the Bombay School of Arts and among his friends and colleagues had been John Lockwood Kipling and where he would have met his son, Rudyard who would go onto write many literary classics, including the Jungle Book.

Griffiths had decorated the new public buildings being built in Bombay though he had also sought to preserve native culture.

He copied the paintings in the Buddhist cave-temples of Ajanta, dating as far back as 200BC and his copies were deposited at Kensington Musuem which he had helped design and decorate in his younger years.

His paintings of native life in India were also appreciated by none other than Queen Victoria with two in her private collection,

John returned to Wales in 1895 and lived in Manafon for a time before his death in 1918.