The Hamzanama, or 'Book of Hamza' was commissioned by the great Mughal emperor Akbar in the mid-16th century. The epic story of a character based very loosely on the life of the uncle of the Prophet Muhammad chronicles the fantastic adventures of Hamza as he and his band of heroes fight against the enemies of Islam. The stories, from a long-established oral tradition, were written down in Persian, the language of the court, in multiple volumes. These originally had 1400 illustrations, of which fewer than 200 survive today. Work probably began in about 1562 and took 15 years to complete.
The very damaged painting depicts the giant Zumrud Shah at right on top of a hexagonal building occupied by figures who express amazement by placing their finger on their lips. He wears a helmet resembling a crown, with a plume. Figures in the foreground prostrate themselves before him; those in the background raise their hands in gestures of respect. Some underdrawing is visible at top left. The scene has been identified as Zumrud Shah receiving Umar who is given a beautiful maiden.