Baqi Muhammed Khan
Painting
ca. 1590-95 (made)
ca. 1590-95 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is part of a double-page illustration from the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar). It depicts the marriage festivities in 1561 of the eldest son of Maham Anaga, the foster-mother of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605). Maham Anaga held a powerful position at court, as shown by her dominant position in the painting, and the privilege implied by the fact that she is permitted to be seated, rather than standing, next to the emperor. The other side of this double-page composition (IS.2:8-1896), illustrates dancers and musicians taking part in the celebrations. The Mughal court artist La’l was responsible for the overall composition across the two pages, with Sanwala painting the details of this half.
The Akbarnama was commissioned by Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written in Persian by his court historian and biographer, Abu’l Fazl, between 1590 and 1596, and the V&A’s partial copy of the manuscript is thought to have been illustrated between about 1592 and 1595. This is thought to be the earliest illustrated version of the text, and drew upon the expertise of some of the best royal artists of the time. Many of these are listed by Abu’l Fazl in the third volume of the text, the A’in-i Akbari, and some of these names appear in the V&A illustrations, written in red ink beneath the pictures, showing that this was a royal copy made for Akbar himself. After his death, the manuscript remained in the library of his son Jahangir, from whom it was inherited by Shah Jahan.
The V&A purchased the manuscript in 1896 from Frances Clarke, the widow of Major General John Clarke, who bought it in India while serving as Commissioner of Oudh between 1858 and 1862.
The Akbarnama was commissioned by Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written in Persian by his court historian and biographer, Abu’l Fazl, between 1590 and 1596, and the V&A’s partial copy of the manuscript is thought to have been illustrated between about 1592 and 1595. This is thought to be the earliest illustrated version of the text, and drew upon the expertise of some of the best royal artists of the time. Many of these are listed by Abu’l Fazl in the third volume of the text, the A’in-i Akbari, and some of these names appear in the V&A illustrations, written in red ink beneath the pictures, showing that this was a royal copy made for Akbar himself. After his death, the manuscript remained in the library of his son Jahangir, from whom it was inherited by Shah Jahan.
The V&A purchased the manuscript in 1896 from Frances Clarke, the widow of Major General John Clarke, who bought it in India while serving as Commissioner of Oudh between 1858 and 1862.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Baqi Muhammed Khan (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Akbarnama, scene from marriage entertainment of Baqi Muhammad Khan, outline by La'l, painting by Sanwala, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95 |
| Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, festivities at the marriage of Baqi Muhammad Khan, the eldest son of Maham Anaga, at the court of Akbar in 1561. The young Akbar is seated in the royal pavilion next to Maham Anaga, his foster mother. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Content description | Festivities at the marriage of Baqi Muhammad Khan, the eldest son of Maham Anaga, at the court of Akbar in 1561. The young Akbar is seated in the royal pavilion next to Maham Anaga, his foster mother. |
| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (Contemporary librarian's attributions in Persian, in red ink in the margin below the painting.)
|
| Gallery label |
|
| Credit line | Purchased from Mrs. Clarke, The Dingle, Sydenham Hill, S. E |
| Object history | The Akbarnama, or "Book of Akbar", was commissioned by the emperor Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written by 1590 and 1596 and is thought to have been illustrated between ca. 1592 and 1594 by at least forty-nine different artists from Akbar's studio. After Akbar's death in 1605, the manuscript remained in the library of his son, Jahangir (r.1605-1627) and later Shah Jahan (r.1628-1658). The Victoria and Albert Museum purchased it in 1896 from Mrs. Frances Clarke, the widow of Major General John Clarke, an official who had been the Commissioner in Oudh province between 1858 and 1862. Historical significance: It is thought to be the first illustrated copy of the Akbarnama. It drew upon the expertise of some of the best royal painters of the time, many of whom receive special mention by Abu'l Fazl in the A'in-i-Akbari, the third volume of the Akbarnama. The inscriptions in red ink on the bottom of the paintings refer to the artists and indicate that this was a royal copy. Purchased from Mrs. Clarke, The Dingle, Sydenham Hill, S. E. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project. Registered Papers: 85488/95 |
| Production | Composition by La'l, colours and details painted by Sanwala. Attribution place is likely to be Delhi, Agra or Fatehpur Sikri. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | Akbarnama |
| Summary | This is part of a double-page illustration from the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar). It depicts the marriage festivities in 1561 of the eldest son of Maham Anaga, the foster-mother of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605). Maham Anaga held a powerful position at court, as shown by her dominant position in the painting, and the privilege implied by the fact that she is permitted to be seated, rather than standing, next to the emperor. The other side of this double-page composition (IS.2:8-1896), illustrates dancers and musicians taking part in the celebrations. The Mughal court artist La’l was responsible for the overall composition across the two pages, with Sanwala painting the details of this half. The Akbarnama was commissioned by Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written in Persian by his court historian and biographer, Abu’l Fazl, between 1590 and 1596, and the V&A’s partial copy of the manuscript is thought to have been illustrated between about 1592 and 1595. This is thought to be the earliest illustrated version of the text, and drew upon the expertise of some of the best royal artists of the time. Many of these are listed by Abu’l Fazl in the third volume of the text, the A’in-i Akbari, and some of these names appear in the V&A illustrations, written in red ink beneath the pictures, showing that this was a royal copy made for Akbar himself. After his death, the manuscript remained in the library of his son Jahangir, from whom it was inherited by Shah Jahan. The V&A purchased the manuscript in 1896 from Frances Clarke, the widow of Major General John Clarke, who bought it in India while serving as Commissioner of Oudh between 1858 and 1862. |
| Associated object | |
| Bibliographic reference | Geeti Sen, Paintings from the Akbar Nama, Lustre Press, Delhi, 1984, p. 64 |
| Other number | 89 - Inscription/original number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.2:9-1896 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | October 8, 1998 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
