Painting, Akbarnama, capture of Bahadur Khan, outline and portraits by Kesav the Elder, paintings by Chetar Muni, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95

Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, the capture of the rebel Bahadur Khan by the army of Akbar, with Nazr Bahadur, in 1567.

The capture of the rebel Bahadur Khan by the army of Akbar, with Nazr Bahadur n 1567.

Purchased from Mrs. Clarke, The Dingle, Sydenham Hill, S. E

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. 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 refer to the artists and indicate that this was a royal copy.

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.

Outline composed by Kesav Kalan, colours and details painted by Chetar Muni.

This painting by the Mughal court artists Kesav Kalan and Chetar Muni is an illustration to the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar). It is on the same opening as Museum no. IS.2:115-1896 but the two compositions are independent. This painting depicts the discovery in 1567 of the decapitated head of the rebel Khan Zaman. He was repeatedly disloyal to the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605) and a reward was offered to anyone who brought his head to the emperor. Eventually, Khan Zaman’s head was found lying under a tree, as shown here.

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. After Akbar’s 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.

IS.2:63-1896