Asaf Khan
Painting
ca. 1590-95 (made)
ca. 1590-95 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This painting by the Mughal court artists Kesav Kalan and Nar Singh shows Asaf Khan leading the Mughal forces in 1564 against Rani Durgavati, the ruler of the Gara Katanga, within the Gond tribal areas of Central India. Asaf Khan was vizier to the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605) and a highly effective military leader. The female ruler, who was a courageous and renowned military leader, fell to Mughal forces after a fiercely contested battle, leading Akbar to admire her extraordinary bravery. This image is the left half of a double-page illustration, the right half being Museum no. IS.2:35-1896.
It is an illustration from the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar), commissioned by Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. The Akbarnama 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.
It is an illustration from the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar), commissioned by Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. The Akbarnama 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 | Asaf Khan (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Akbarnama, Asaf Khan in the battle against Rani Durgavati, outline by Kesav the Elder, painting by Nar Singh, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95 |
| Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Asaf Khan in battle with the forces of Rani Durgavati, ruler of the Gond Kingdom of Middle India, in 1564. The image is overlaid with two panels of text extending from the upper and lower right hand margin. |
| Dimensions | Folio size 38.1cm x 22.4cm. |
| Content description | Asaf Khan in battle with the forces of Rani Durgavati, ruler of the Gond Kingdom of Middle India, in 1564. |
| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Tarh Kesav Kalan/Amal Nar Singh' (Contemporary librarian's attribution in Persian written beneath the image at the bottom of the page in red ink.)
|
| 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 | Outline composed by Kesav Kalan, colours and details painted by Nar Singh. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | Akbarnama |
| Summary | This painting by the Mughal court artists Kesav Kalan and Nar Singh shows Asaf Khan leading the Mughal forces in 1564 against Rani Durgavati, the ruler of the Gara Katanga, within the Gond tribal areas of Central India. Asaf Khan was vizier to the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605) and a highly effective military leader. The female ruler, who was a courageous and renowned military leader, fell to Mughal forces after a fiercely contested battle, leading Akbar to admire her extraordinary bravery. This image is the left half of a double-page illustration, the right half being Museum no. IS.2:35-1896. It is an illustration from the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar), commissioned by Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. The Akbarnama 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 | |
| Other number | 116 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.2:36-1896 |
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| Record created | November 18, 1998 |
| Record URL |
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