Painting
ca. 1590-95 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This illustration to the Akbarnama depicts Muhammad Amin Diwan escorting the widow of Bairam Khan and her four-year old son Abdur Rahim to Ahmadabad in 1561, following the assassination of Bairam Khan shown in illustration IS.2:5-1896. Bairam Khan, a close companion of Akbar's father Humayun, had been the guardian (ataliq) of the young emperor after his accession at the age of 13. He also guided him in many military victories, thus increasing the territory under Mughal control. However, as Akbar grew older, tensions between the two increased and in 1560 Bairam Khan had rebelled against him. The emperor forgave Bairam Khan, but it was agreed that he would leave Hindustan to make the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. On his way to the pilgrim port of Surat, he was assassinated by an Afghan whose father had been killed in battle by Mughal forces led by Bairam Khan.
His widow and her son Abd ur-Rahim stayed in Ahmedabad before being taken to the protection of Akbar's household.The boy grew up to reach the highest rank in the Mughal hierarchy and was a renowned scholar, a poet in several languages including Persian and Hindavi, and a translator.
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 illustrataed concurrently by at least forty-nine different artists from Akbar's studio. After Akbar's death in 1605, this 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 John Clarke, Commissioner of Oudh, India, between 1858 and 1862. This partial manuscript 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.
His widow and her son Abd ur-Rahim stayed in Ahmedabad before being taken to the protection of Akbar's household.The boy grew up to reach the highest rank in the Mughal hierarchy and was a renowned scholar, a poet in several languages including Persian and Hindavi, and a translator.
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 illustrataed concurrently by at least forty-nine different artists from Akbar's studio. After Akbar's death in 1605, this 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 John Clarke, Commissioner of Oudh, India, between 1858 and 1862. This partial manuscript 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.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Akbarnama, Bairam Khan's widow and child escorted to Ahmedabad, by Mukund, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95 |
| Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, depicting Muhammad Amin Diwan escorting the widow of Bairam Khan and her infant son Abdur Rahim to Ahmadabad in 1561. The image is overlaid by a band of Persian text (two lines), extending from the right-hand side of the picture. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | Muhammad Amin Diwan escorting the widow of Bairam Khan and her infant son Abdur Rahim to Ahmadabad in 1561. |
| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (Contemporary notes in ink at the bottom of the page in Persian identify the artist)
|
| 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 | No indication of role. Attribution place is likely to be Lahore. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | Akbarnama |
| Summary | This illustration to the Akbarnama depicts Muhammad Amin Diwan escorting the widow of Bairam Khan and her four-year old son Abdur Rahim to Ahmadabad in 1561, following the assassination of Bairam Khan shown in illustration IS.2:5-1896. Bairam Khan, a close companion of Akbar's father Humayun, had been the guardian (ataliq) of the young emperor after his accession at the age of 13. He also guided him in many military victories, thus increasing the territory under Mughal control. However, as Akbar grew older, tensions between the two increased and in 1560 Bairam Khan had rebelled against him. The emperor forgave Bairam Khan, but it was agreed that he would leave Hindustan to make the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. On his way to the pilgrim port of Surat, he was assassinated by an Afghan whose father had been killed in battle by Mughal forces led by Bairam Khan. His widow and her son Abd ur-Rahim stayed in Ahmedabad before being taken to the protection of Akbar's household.The boy grew up to reach the highest rank in the Mughal hierarchy and was a renowned scholar, a poet in several languages including Persian and Hindavi, and a translator. 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 illustrataed concurrently by at least forty-nine different artists from Akbar's studio. After Akbar's death in 1605, this 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 John Clarke, Commissioner of Oudh, India, between 1858 and 1862. This partial manuscript 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. |
| Associated object | |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | 86 - Inscription/original number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.2:6-1896 |
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| Record created | October 7, 1998 |
| Record URL |
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