{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O9608"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O9608/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BX3693/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BX3693/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009BX3693","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB3637","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O9608/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O9608","accessionNumber":"IS.2:75-1896","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"Rai Surjan Hada making Submission to Akbar","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This illustration to the <i>Akbarnama</i> (<i>Book of Akbar</i>) was designed by the Mughal court artist Mukund and painted by Shankar. It depicts Rai Surjan Hada, the ruler of Ranthambhor in north-west India, submitting to the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605) in 1569, after a fiercely fought campaign of immense strategic importance to the expanding Mughal empire. Akbar is shown seated on a throne under a canopy, with the raja bowing in submission before him. \r\n\r\nThe <i>Akbarnama</i> was commissioned by Akbar 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 <i>A’in-i Akbari</i>, 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.\r\n\r\nThe 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.","physicalDescription":"Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Rai Surjan Hada, the ruler of Ranthambhor, submitting to Akbar. Akbar is shown seated on a throne under a canopy. The Raja is shown bowing in submission before the emperor.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Mukund","id":"A1583"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":"artist, outlines"},{"name":{"text":"Shankar","id":"A1651"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":"artist, painting"}],"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":"ELISE","id":"THES48961"},{"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":["2009BX3693","2017KB3637"],"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":[],"creditLine":"Purchased from Mrs. Clarke, The Dingle, Sydenham Hill, S. E","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"34","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"average","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"21","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"average","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","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 Mukund/work [=painting] by Shankar'","transliteration":"'Tarh Mukund/Amal Shankar'","type":"Maker's identification","note":"Contemporary librarian's attribution in Persian written beneath the image at the bottom of the page in red ink."}],"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>, Rai Surjan Hada making submission to Akbar, outline by Mukund, painting by Shankar, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Geeti Sen, Paintings from the Akbar Nama, Lustre Press Pvt Ltd, page 126"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"Rai Surjan Hada, the ruler of Ranthambhor, submitting to Akbar. Akbar is shown seated on a throne under a canopy. The Raja is shown bowing in submission before the emperor.","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Akbar","id":"N107"}],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Fazl, Abu'l","id":"N104"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"rulers","id":"AAT25475"},{"text":"throne","id":"AAT38141"},{"text":"canopy","id":"AAT69732"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Akbarnama"],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"RAI SURJAN HARA SUBMITTING TO AKBAR\r\nIllustration to the Akbarnama\r\nOpaque watercolour and gold on paper\r\nMughal, composition by Mukund, painted by Shankar\r\nc. 1590-95\r\nIS.2:75-1896\n\r\nAfter the Mughal victory, Raja Surjan Hara prostrated himself before the emperor. He handed over the keys of his fort, as well as\r\nthe treasury and stores. Behind Akbar, servants hold weapons wrapped in precious textiles\r\nand a flywhisk. These and the red colour of\r\nthe canopy above the emperor’s head are all emblems of royalty.\r\n","date":{"text":"27/9/2013","earliest":"2013-09-27","latest":"2013-09-27"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.2:75-1896"],"accessionNumberNum":"2","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1896,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"inscription/original number","id":"THES51028"},"number":"160"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-19","recordCreationDate":"1998-11-11","availableToBook":true}}