Prince Salim
Painting
ca. 1590-95 (made)
ca. 1590-95 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This illustration from the Akbarnama depicts the rejoicing upon the birth of Prince Salim.
In 1564, one of Akbar’s wives had given birth to twin sons, but they both died after a month and the emperor began to despair of producing a male heir. He visited the Sufi Shaikh Salim Chishti at Sikri, who assured him that his prayers would be answered. Early in 1569, a Hindu wife of Akbar was found to be pregnant. She moved to Sikri and gave birth there to a son, named Salim after the shaikh. When Akbar heard the news in Agra, he decided to follow an ancient custom of Hindustan and delay seeing such a long-awaited baby. The painting provides a glimpse of the concealed world of the zanana, and the joyous tumult greeting a royal birth. Shortly afterwards, Akbar ordered a new city to be built at Sikri which became known as Fatehpur, or City of Victory.
[Akbarnama, English translation: Beveridge, vol. II, pp. 502-8]
at the imperial city of Fatehpur Sikri. The image shows an aerial view of the zenana and birth chamber. While musicians perform in the central courtyard, alms are distributed to beggars outside the wall.
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 about 1592 and 1594 by at least 49 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, who bought it in India while serving as Commissioner of Oudh between 1858 and 1862.
In 1564, one of Akbar’s wives had given birth to twin sons, but they both died after a month and the emperor began to despair of producing a male heir. He visited the Sufi Shaikh Salim Chishti at Sikri, who assured him that his prayers would be answered. Early in 1569, a Hindu wife of Akbar was found to be pregnant. She moved to Sikri and gave birth there to a son, named Salim after the shaikh. When Akbar heard the news in Agra, he decided to follow an ancient custom of Hindustan and delay seeing such a long-awaited baby. The painting provides a glimpse of the concealed world of the zanana, and the joyous tumult greeting a royal birth. Shortly afterwards, Akbar ordered a new city to be built at Sikri which became known as Fatehpur, or City of Victory.
[Akbarnama, English translation: Beveridge, vol. II, pp. 502-8]
at the imperial city of Fatehpur Sikri. The image shows an aerial view of the zenana and birth chamber. While musicians perform in the central courtyard, alms are distributed to beggars outside the wall.
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 about 1592 and 1594 by at least 49 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, who bought it in India while serving as Commissioner of Oudh between 1858 and 1862.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Prince Salim (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Akbarnama, rejoicings at the birth of Prince Salim and Maryam az-Zamani, outline by Kesav the Elder, painting Dharmdas, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95 |
| Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, the rejoicings on the birth of Prince Salim (later Emperor Jahangir) at Fatehpur Sikri. An aerial view of the zenana and birth chamber is given, whilst musicians play in the central courtyard. Outside the wall, alms are distributed to beggars. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Content description | The rejoicings on the birth of Prince Salim (later Emperor Jahangir) at Fatehpur Sikri. An aerial view of the zenana and birth chamber is given, whilst musicians play in the central courtyard. Outside the wall, alms are distributed to beggars. |
| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Tarh Kesav Kalan/amal Dharmdas' (The contemporary attributions to the artists are written in Persian, in red ink, below the painting in the margin.)
|
| 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 Kesav Kalan, colours and details painted by Dharmdas. Attribution place is likely to be Lahorei. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | Akbarnama |
| Summary | This illustration from the Akbarnama depicts the rejoicing upon the birth of Prince Salim. In 1564, one of Akbar’s wives had given birth to twin sons, but they both died after a month and the emperor began to despair of producing a male heir. He visited the Sufi Shaikh Salim Chishti at Sikri, who assured him that his prayers would be answered. Early in 1569, a Hindu wife of Akbar was found to be pregnant. She moved to Sikri and gave birth there to a son, named Salim after the shaikh. When Akbar heard the news in Agra, he decided to follow an ancient custom of Hindustan and delay seeing such a long-awaited baby. The painting provides a glimpse of the concealed world of the zanana, and the joyous tumult greeting a royal birth. Shortly afterwards, Akbar ordered a new city to be built at Sikri which became known as Fatehpur, or City of Victory. [Akbarnama, English translation: Beveridge, vol. II, pp. 502-8] at the imperial city of Fatehpur Sikri. The image shows an aerial view of the zenana and birth chamber. While musicians perform in the central courtyard, alms are distributed to beggars outside the wall. 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 about 1592 and 1594 by at least 49 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, who bought it in India while serving as Commissioner of Oudh between 1858 and 1862. |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Other number | 162 - inscription/original number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.2:78-1896 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | November 11, 1998 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
