Painting
ca. 1590-95 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This page from the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) is the left side of a double-page composition designed by the Mughal court artist Miskina, with the painting done by Bhura. It illustrates an incident when mines laid by the Mughal army exploded as the imperial forces attacked the Rajput fortress of Chitor (Chittaurgarh) in north-west India in 1567.
The Akbarnama was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605) 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 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 Akbarnama was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605) 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 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.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Akbarnama, mines exploding during the siege of Chitor, outline by Miskina, painting by Bhurah, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95 |
| Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, left side of double picture, right side is IS.2:66-1896. Depicts the mining of the fortress of Chitor. In this image, one of the mines is shown exploding, causing the death of a number of people. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | The mining of the fortress of Chitor. In this image, one of the mines is shown exploding, causing the death of a number of people. |
| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (Maker's identification; Persian; Persian; ink)
|
| Gallery label | MINES EXPLODING DURING THE SIEGE OF CHITOR (RIGHT SIDE)
From an imperial copy of the Akbarnama (“Book of Akbar”)
Opaque water colour and gold on paper
Mughal, composition by Miskina, painting by Sarwan
ca. 1590-95
IS.2:66-1896
The Mughal attack on the seemingly impregnable Hindu fortress of the kingdom of Chitor in Rajasthan took place in the winter of 1567-1568. Akbar directed the campaign which began with a series of hasty assaults. This double-page composition, designed by Miskina and coloured by two different artists, shows the disastrous consequences of a Mughal mine exploding accidentally in the path of the army, killing many of Akbar’s finest men.
MINES EXPLODING DURING THE SIEGE OF CHITOR (LEFT SIDE)
From an imperial copy of the Akbarnama (“Book of Akbar”)
Opaque water colour and gold on paper
Mughal, composition by Miskina, painting by Bhura
ca. 1590-95
IS.2:67-1896
Following the disaster, the Mughal forces adopted a more patient approach, constructing covered ways to give protection as they moved closer to the fort. This was ultimately successful, but the Mughals went on to massacre nearly 30,000 people. Akbar’s chronicler recorded in the Akbarnama that this was because the inhabitants had fiercely resisted, rather than surrendering. |
| Credit line | Purchased from Mrs. Clarke, The Dingle, Sydenham Hill, S. E |
| Object history | The Akbarnama was commissioned by the Emperor Akbar as an official chronicle of his reign. It was written by his court historian and biographer Abu'l Fazl around 1590, and illustrated during the same decade by at least forty-nine different artists from Akbar's studio. After Akbar's death, the manuscript remained in the library of his son, Jehangir. The Victoria and Albert Museum purchased it in 1896 from the widow of major General Clarke, an official who served as the Commissioner in Oudh province. 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 inscriptions in red ink on the bottom of the paintings refer to the artists and indicate that this was a royal copy. |
| Production | Composition by Miskina, colours and details painted by Bhurah. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | Akbarnama |
| Summary | This page from the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) is the left side of a double-page composition designed by the Mughal court artist Miskina, with the painting done by Bhura. It illustrates an incident when mines laid by the Mughal army exploded as the imperial forces attacked the Rajput fortress of Chitor (Chittaurgarh) in north-west India in 1567. The Akbarnama was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605) 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 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. |
| Associated object | |
| Bibliographic reference | Susan Stronge, Painting for the Mughal emperor. The Art of the Book, 1560-1650, V&A Publications, 2002, pl. 47 p. 72. |
| Other number | 152 - inscription/original number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.2:67-1896 |
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| Record created | November 11, 1998 |
| Record URL |
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