{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O9626"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O9626/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2024NY9390/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2024NY9390/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2024NY9390","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NY9389","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009BX3714","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JY2950","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB3644","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O9626/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O9626","accessionNumber":"IS.2:62-1896","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"Akbar ","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This painting from the <i>Akbarnama</i> (<i>Book of Akbar</i>) is the left side of a double-page composition by Basawan, one of the greatest artists at the Mughal court. The right side is Museum no. IS.2:61-1896. Together they depict a battle between <i>sannyasis</i> (Hindu holy men) at Thanesar in north-west India. This side of the composition, the details of which were painted by Asi (the brother of another artist, Miskina, as the contemporary inscription beneath the painting specifies) shows a tank in which other <i>sannyasis</i> are bathing, seemingly oblivious to the battle going on around them.\r\n\r\nThe <i>Akbarnama</i> 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 <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, left side of double picture, right side being IS.2:61-1896. Depicts Akbar watching two groups of rival Hindu devotees (sannyasis) fighting at Thanesar.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Basawan","id":"A1597"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":"artist, outline"},{"name":{"text":"Asi","id":"A1629"},"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":"Manuscripts","id":"THES48922"},{"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":["2024NY9390","2024NY9389","2009BX3714","2017JY2950","2017KB3644"],"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.2:61-1896","id":"O9627"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Purchased from Mrs. Clarke, The Dingle, Sydenham Hill, S. E","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"38.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"folio","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"22.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"folio","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"folio size of 38.1cm x 22.4cm.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Tarh Basawan/Amal Asi, baradar-e Miskina'","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 Basawan/work of [painted by] Asi, Miskina's brother'","transliteration":"","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>, Akbar watches a battle between two rival groups of <i>sanyasis</i> at Thanesar, outline by Basawan, painting by Asi, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590-95","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"W. Staude, ‘Contribution a l’etude de Basawan’, Extrait de la Revue des Arts asiatiques, Paris: Les editions d’art et d’histoire, 1934, fig. 13.\r\nSen, Geeti, Paintings from the Akbar Nama, Lustre Press, 1984,p. 106.\r\nJames Mallinson, \"Yoga & Yogis\", in namarupa. Categories of Indian Thought, Issue 15 Volume 03 March 2012, pp. 16; 17 and 25 (details).\r\nJames Mallinson, ‘Yogic Identities: Tradition and Transformation’, 2013:\n\nhttp://web.archive.org/web/20230111154310/https://asia.si.edu/research/articles/yogic-identities.asp"},{"reference":{"text":"STRONGE, Susan. <u>Painting for the Mughal Emperor: The Art of the Book 1560 – 1660</u> London : V&A Publications, 2002. 192p, ill. ISBN 1 85177 358 4.","id":"AUTH326134"},"details":"p. 52, pl. 35","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Diamond, D. <i>Yoga: The Art of Transformation</i>, Smithsonian Institute, 2013","id":"AUTH346380"},"details":"pp. 173 and 299","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"Emperor Akbar watching a battle between two bands of <i>sanyasis</i> (Hindu devotees) at Thanesar. ","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Akbar","id":"N107"}],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Fazl, Abu'l","id":"N104"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"battle","id":"AAT185692"},{"text":"ruler","id":"AAT25475"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"battle","id":"x35625"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Akbarnama"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.2:62-1896"],"accessionNumberNum":"2","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1896,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"inscription/original number","id":"THES51028"},"number":"140"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-30","recordCreationDate":"1998-11-12","availableToBook":true}}