Posted on: 5 February 2011

The Victory of the Imperial Mughal Army over Sultan Adam - 1590-1595 (painted)
Artist/Maker: Tulsi (artist), Bhawani (artist), Sanwala (artist)

This illustration to the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) depicts the victory of the imperial Mughal army, led by Qutb ud-Din and Sharif Khan, over Sultan Adam of Ghakkar (now in north-east Pakistan), in the Panjab in 1563. Three court artists – Tulsi, Bhawani and Sanwala – worked on the painting.

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 V&A purchased the manuscript in 1896 from Frances Clarke, the widow of Major General John Clarke, who bought it in India while serving as Commissioner of Oudh between 1858 and 1862.

Source : Victoria & Albert Museum, London


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The Royal Atelier was started by Humayun when he came back in 1555 at the head of Persian army (loaned by Shah Tahmasp of Persia) to re-claim Hindustan that he thought was his patrimony. The understanding between two rulers was that Humayun would conquer Kabul and hand it over to the Shah and then conquer Hindustan which he would keep for himself. It was at this time that Humayun brought back with him 2 painters of miniature paintings, from the city of Herat, namely, Mir Sayyed Ali and Abdus Samad, who started the Royal Atelier, and training other Indian artists in the art of Miniature paintings. In Akbar's time it was a standard practice for more than 1 artist to work on a painting. One would draw the buildings, another would draw animals and human bodies and yet another might draw the faces on the human bodies. And there might be a 4th one to paint the frame and margins. Akbar commissioned the Babarnama to be illustrated. Later Akbarnama was also illustrated with Miniatures. That is why they are miniatures as they had to fit in the size of the book.

Mughal miniatures are notable for their characterstic elaborate borders.The adventures of Amir Hamza was illustrated too during the times of Akbar when it became thoroughly Indianised with characters wearing Indian clothes caprisoned elephants and fire-breathing dragons.

The adventures of Amir Hamza was also known as Dastaan-i-Amir Hamza. To add to what I said above, both painters viz. Mir Sayyed Ali and Abdus Samad were students of another Master, Bihzad, who had moved his studio to Tabriz some 40 years prior to when Humayun met the above two painters at Herat.

Thanks RBSI & Digvijay for 'Like' on my 1st comment.

Thanks Shekhar for 'Like' on my 1st comment. & 2nd too.

@Pulin: Did'nt the technique of fore-shortening in Mughal paintings come to Persia from Rome?

Miniature portraits of the emperors and their courts, mainly in rich red, yellow,gold and orange was popular as were paintings of animals and birds, including deer,wild Himalyan goats and black bucks. Operating as a team , the painters divided up the work between them. obne artist specialised in the features of the individual faces, another determined the composition,while a third did the colouring. Fine brushes made from the tail hairs squirrels added to the delicacy of the painters , while their brilliant, anamel like finish was achieved by burnishing the pictures with pieces of polished agate.

Pulin: You are most welcome. Please do not thank me for "liking" your comments. I thank you you for putting up valuable information and balanced views on various topics..

That was an enlightening one on miniatures! Thanks Pulin and Digvijay!

Hey, Thanks to both from me , too. I liked the little 'class'.