Akbar's general(Sayyid ’Abd Allāh Khān) informs him of the conquest of Bengal in 1576
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Ink |
| Current Location: | Museum: Chester Beatty LibraryCity & Country: Dublin, Ireland (Located inside Dublin Castle)Collection: Indian CollectionAccession/Reference Number: In 03.230 |
| Location History: | 1603–1605 (Agra, India): Created by court artist `Inayat inside the Mughal Imperial Painting Workshop for Emperor Akbar.18th–19th Century (Delhi, India): Dispersed and separated from its original text volumes during the decline of the Mughal Empire.Early 20th Century (Paris, France): Acquired by the prominent art dealer George Demotte for the European art market.Mid-20th Century (London, UK): Purchased from Demotte by American mining magnate Sir Alfred Chester Beatty for his private library.1950–Present (Dublin, Ireland): Relocated with Beatty's entire collection to Ireland. It is now permanently preserved in the Chester Beatty Library at Dublin Castle under reference number In 03.230 |
This imperial miniature painting, titled Sayyid ’Abd Allāh Khān Informs Akbar of the Conquest of Bengal, is an elite folio from a luxury edition of the Akbarnama (History of Akbar). Created circa 1603–1605 by the Mughal court painter 'Ināyat, this historical artwork depicts a watershed political and military triumph of the Mughal Empire.The focal point of the artwork is a tense, highly theatrical scene of royal audience inside the imperial palace. The Mughal Emperor Akbar sits elevated on an ornate royal throne, surrounded by standing bodyguards and court ministers. Kneeling directly below the throne is his triumphant general, Sayyid ’Abd Allāh Khān, who has just rushed back from the battlefield. In a gruesome display of absolute loyalty and definitive victory, the general is depicted presenting the severed head of Da'ud Khan Karrani—the defeated, rebel Afghan ruler of Bengal—which lies resting directly on the court floor.'Ināyat’s masterful artistic hand is visible in the dense, complex layout of the imperial palace interior. The composition relies heavily on traditional Persian spatial perspective, stacking groups of attending nobles, palace guards, and royal attendants across the page. 'Ināyat individualizes the crowded court, painting a wide variety of remarkably expressive faces that mirror shock, satisfaction, and political gravity. The painting is deeply enriched with luxury materials typical of the Akbar atelier. The palace architecture is adorned with meticulously detailed geometric tile mosaics, while brilliant mineral pigments, rich lapis lazuli blues, and thick applications of leafed gold define the courtly robes, weapons, and imperial throne. This intense work serves as both a political record of Mughal dominance and an example of 'Ināyat’s narrative power.
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