Akbar
Painting
ca. 1590-95 (made)
ca. 1590-95 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This painting by Kesav Kalan and Jagjivan is an illustration to the Akbarnama, and is the left side of a double page composition (the right half is IS.2:110-1896). It depicts the rejoicings at Akbar's return to Fatehpur Sikri following his victory in the Gujarat.
The Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) was commissioned by the emperor as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written by his court historian and biographer Abu'l Fazl between 1590 and 1596 and is thought to have been illustrated between c. 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. 1605-27) and later Shah Jahan (r. 1628-58). The Museum purchased it in 1896 from the widow of Major General John Clarke. He had been Commissioner of Oudh, India, between 1858 and 1862. It is thought to be the earliest 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 third volume of the Akbarnama, the A'in-i-Akbari. The inscriptions in red ink on the bottom of the paintings name the artists.
The Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) was commissioned by the emperor as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written by his court historian and biographer Abu'l Fazl between 1590 and 1596 and is thought to have been illustrated between c. 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. 1605-27) and later Shah Jahan (r. 1628-58). The Museum purchased it in 1896 from the widow of Major General John Clarke. He had been Commissioner of Oudh, India, between 1858 and 1862. It is thought to be the earliest 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 third volume of the Akbarnama, the A'in-i-Akbari. The inscriptions in red ink on the bottom of the paintings name the artists.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Akbar (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Akbarnama, Akbar's victorious return to Fatehpur Sikri, outline by Kesav the Elder, painting Jagjivan, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95 |
| Physical description | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, left hand side of double page, forming a pair with IS.2:110-1896. Depicts the rejoicings at Akbar's return to Fatehpur Sikri following his victory in the Gujarat. A pair of elephants can be seen in the foreground of the image. Towards the back of the picture, two elephants form a triumphal archway over a door. The image is overlaid by a band of text extending from the right hand margin. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | The rejoicings at Akbar's return to Fatehpur Sikri following his victory in the Gujarat. A pair of elephants can be seen in the foreground of the image. Towards the back of the picture, two elephants form a triumphal archway over a door. |
| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (Contemporary librarian's attribution in Persian written beneath the image at the bottom of the page in red ink.)
|
| Gallery label | REJOICINGS AT AKBAR’S RETURN TO FATHPUR
Illustration to the Akbarnama
Opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Mughal, composition by Keshav Kalan, painted by Jagjivan
c. 1590-95
IS.2:111-1896
In the early 1570s, Akbar led the Mughal army against the independent sultanate of Gujarat in Western India. After conquering the kingdom, Akbar returned to his newly founded capital of Sikri and renamed it Fathpur, or ‘City of Victory’. Keshav Kalan designed this composition (tarh) over two pages, with a junior artist completing the colouring (amal, literally ‘work’) on each page. This was usual practice for manuscript production in Akbar’s reign.(27/9/2013) |
| Credit line | Purchased from Mrs. Clarke, The Dingle, Sydenham Hill, S. E |
| Object history | The Akbarnama was commissioned by the emperor Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written by his court historian and biographer Abu'l Fazl between 1590 and 1596 and is thought to have been illustrated between c. 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. 1605-27) and later Shah Jahan (r. 1628-58). The Victoria and Albert Museum purchased it in 1896 from the widow of Major General 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 inscriptions in red ink on the bottom of the paintings name the artists. |
| Production | Composed by Kesav Kalan, painted by Jagjivan. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | Akbarnama |
| Summary | This painting by Kesav Kalan and Jagjivan is an illustration to the Akbarnama, and is the left side of a double page composition (the right half is IS.2:110-1896). It depicts the rejoicings at Akbar's return to Fatehpur Sikri following his victory in the Gujarat. The Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) was commissioned by the emperor as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written by his court historian and biographer Abu'l Fazl between 1590 and 1596 and is thought to have been illustrated between c. 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. 1605-27) and later Shah Jahan (r. 1628-58). The Museum purchased it in 1896 from the widow of Major General John Clarke. He had been Commissioner of Oudh, India, between 1858 and 1862. It is thought to be the earliest 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 third volume of the Akbarnama, the A'in-i-Akbari. The inscriptions in red ink on the bottom of the paintings name the artists. |
| Associated object | |
| Other number | 192 - Inscription/original number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.2:111-1896 |
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| Record created | October 26, 1998 |
| Record URL |
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