{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O9596"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O9596/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BX3706/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BX3706/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009BX3706","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB3654","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O9596/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O9596","accessionNumber":"IS.2:82-1896","objectType":"Painting","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This illustration from the <i>Akbarnama</i> shows the cleansing and purification of Kukar Talao (the local water tank) at Nagar, Rajasthan in 1570 by order of the emperor Akbar. After the cleaning, the water tank was renamed Shukr Talao or Thanksgiving Tank. This image is the left-hand side of a double picture (the other half is IS.2:83-1896), which shows Akbar watching on horseback followed by his retinue. \r\n\r\nThe <i>Akbarnama</i> 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.","physicalDescription":"Depicts cleansing and purification of Kukar Talao (water tank) at Nagar, Rajasthan in 1570 by order of the emperor Akbar.  It is the right side of a double illustration. The left side (IS.2:83-1896) illustrates Akbar watching the cleaning process.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Kesav Kalan","id":"A6094"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":"composition"},{"name":{"text":"Chatarmuni","id":"A6113"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":"colours and details"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"opaque watercolour","id":"x35013"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painted","id":"AAT54216"},{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Animals and Wildlife","id":"THES250852"},{"text":"Illustration","id":"THES48938"},{"text":"Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project","id":"THES263148"}],"styles":[{"text":"Mughal","id":"AAT18939"},{"text":"Akbar","id":""}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2009BX3706","2017KB3654"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES403517"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT33618"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Mughal Empire","id":"THES262021"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1590-95","earliest":"1585-01-01","latest":"1595-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"IS.2:83-1896","id":"O9595"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Purchased from Mrs. Clarke, The Dingle, Sydenham Hill, S. E","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"37.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"09/01/2026","earliest":"2026-01-09","latest":"2026-01-09"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"25","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"09/01/2026","earliest":"2026-01-09","latest":"2026-01-09"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Folio size is 38.1cm x 22.4cm.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Tarh Kesav Kalan\r\namal Chatarmuni","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"Persian","medium":"ink","method":"","position":"","script":"Persian","translation":"Composition by Kesav Kalan \r\nWork [ie painting] by Chatarmuni","transliteration":"","type":"Maker's identification","note":"These contemporary attributions in Persian are written in red ink beneath the painting"}],"objectHistory":"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.\r\n\r\nHistorical 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.\r\n\r\nPurchased 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.\r\n\r\nRegistered Papers: 85488/95","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting, <i>Akbarnama</i>, purification of the Kukur Talao, outline by Kesav, painting by Chatarmuni, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Composition by Kesav Kalan, colours and details painted by Chatarmuni.\r\nAttribution place is likely to be Delhi, Agra or Fatehpur Sikri.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"The cleansing and purification of Kukar Talao (water tank) at Nagar, Rajasthan in 1570 by order of the emperor Akbar.","contentPlaces":[{"text":"India","id":"x29790"},{"text":"Pakistan","id":"x30015"},{"text":"Pakistan","id":"x30015"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Fazl, Abu'l","id":"N104"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"tank","id":"AAT6203"},{"text":"men","id":"AAT25928"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Akbarnama"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.2:82-1896"],"accessionNumberNum":"2","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1896,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"inscription/original number","id":"THES51028"},"number":"167"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-19","recordCreationDate":"1998-11-10","availableToBook":true}}