Painting, Akbarnama, bullocks dragging siege-guns up hill, outline by Miskina, painting by Paras, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95

Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, depicts bullocks dragging cannons uphill during the siege of Ranthambhor. The bullocks are being driven up a steep incline running diagonally from bottom left to the middle of the page at right. Cannons are firing from the cliff at top left, directed by the Mughal general at top right.

Bullocks dragging cannons uphill during the siege of Ranthambhor. The bullocks are being driven up a steep incline running diagonally from bottom left to the middle of the page at right. Cannons are firing from the cliff at top left, directed by the Mughal general at top right.

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

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

Composition by Miskina, colours and details painted by Paras.
Attribution place is likely to be Lahore.

This page of the Akbarnama depicts a battle scene in which bullocks are dragging cannons uphill during the siege of Ranthambhor Fort, Rajasthan. Akbar set out from Agra in December, 1568, pausing on the way to visit sacred places in Delhi and the tomb of his father, Humayun. The campaign began in February 1569 and was won by the end of March when the ruler, Surjan Hara, submitted. See IS.2:74 and IS.2:76 for other paintings of this battle.

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.

IS.2:72-1896