Akbar Watching a Fight Between Elephants Near Malwa
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Gouache |
| Current Location: | Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) |
| Location History: | 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. Historical 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. Purchased 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. |
The miniature painting of Akbar Watching a Fight Between Elephants Near Malwa (or Akbar overlooks the capture of elephants in Malwa) is a famous page created for the royal manuscript version of Akbarnama (Book of Akbar). The author of this historical book is Abu l-Fazl , who was a historian for Akbar and who was writing it sometime between 1590 and 1596. The book describes the political events, wars and life of the third Mughal Emperor. This painting can be dated as of the period of about 1590-1595 from the imperial workshop and it depicts the high sophistication of Mughal Art at the end of the 16th century. In the period of Akbar, many of the court paintings were created collaboratively by a group of artists. Mahesh was an outstanding painter of Akbar's squad and was praised for his colourful sense and the manner of painting, and he is a core painter for the Akbarnama manuscript. The master painting or outline of the painting was created by senior artists like Basawan, Kesav, Khem Karan. The painting was created by skilled colouring experts like Mahesh. The visual story outlines a historical expedition from the year 1564, during which the Mughal emperor Akbar rode into the dense forests of Malwa, India, to capture wild elephants. Akbar can be seen in the upper part of the painting riding a horse with his court emissaries and elephant trainers. The fly-colour is held by one attendant standing behind Akbar, denoting his royal status. The painting is full of action. Two elephants can be seen fighting in the middle ground of the painting – one is wild, while the other elephants are helping to tame and control it. The artist’s masterful use of gouache (opaque watercolour) helps create a stunning texture of the elephants' wrinkled grey skin, great clouds of dust and the rich foliage. All the paintings have beautiful green hills, realistic trees and naturalistic rocks that indicate the growing influence of the European design of perspective in Mughal workshops. The painting has a much deeper meaning. It stands for the royal power and shows us that Akbar is a brave ruler who has control over the wild nature.