Ali Quli Khan
Painting
ca. 1590-95 (made)
ca. 1590-95 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This painting and IS.2:13-1896 together form a complete composition across two pages. They illustrate an episode described in the Akbarnama, the history of the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556-1605). The composition was designed by the court artist Kanha, with a second artist, Khiman Sangtarash, being responsible for the painting. The scene depicts the victory of Khan Zaman (Ali Quli Khan) over the Afghans on the banks of the river Jumna in 1561.
The Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) was commissioned by the emperor 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 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, 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 Mrs Frances Clarke, the widow of Major General Clarke, an official who had been the Commissioner of Oudh province between 1858 and 1862. It is thought to be the earliest illustrated copy of the Akbarnama and 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 in Persian 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, 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 Mrs Frances Clarke, the widow of Major General Clarke, an official who had been the Commissioner of Oudh province between 1858 and 1862. It is thought to be the earliest illustrated copy of the Akbarnama and 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 | Ali Quli Khan (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Akbarnama, victory of Khan Zaman (Ali Quli Khan), outline by Kanha, painting by Kahmin the Sculptor, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95 |
| Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, left half of a double page composition, the right half being IS.2:13-1896. Depicts the victory of Ali Quli Khan over the Afghans on the banks of the river Gomti. The image is overlaid by a caption of text (1 line) in the top left corner. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | The victory of Ali Quli Khan over the Afghans on the banks of the river Gomti. |
| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (Contemporary librarian's attributions in Persian, in red ink in the margin below the painting)
|
| 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 Kanha; painted by Khiman Sangtarash. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | Akbarnama |
| Summary | This painting and IS.2:13-1896 together form a complete composition across two pages. They illustrate an episode described in the Akbarnama, the history of the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556-1605). The composition was designed by the court artist Kanha, with a second artist, Khiman Sangtarash, being responsible for the painting. The scene depicts the victory of Khan Zaman (Ali Quli Khan) over the Afghans on the banks of the river Jumna in 1561. The Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) was commissioned by the emperor 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 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, 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 Mrs Frances Clarke, the widow of Major General Clarke, an official who had been the Commissioner of Oudh province between 1858 and 1862. It is thought to be the earliest illustrated copy of the Akbarnama and 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 | IS.2:13-1896 (Object) |
| Other number | 92 - Inscription/original number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.2:12-1896 |
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| Record created | October 8, 1998 |
| Record URL |
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