The 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.
The Mughal school of art has always intrigued art admirers, as the artists of this period had a distinctive painting style. They perfectly employed the Indian, Persian and Islamic styles of painting in their art, and the result that came out was a fine, delicate and detailed artwork. One such artist was Sanwala, who worked in the court of the Emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605) and continued to work in Emperor Jahangir's court (r.1605–1627) after Akbar's demise. His most notable works include his contributions to the illustrations in Akbarnama (Book of Akbar), the official chronicle of the reign of Akbar, the third Mughal Emperor, commissioned by Akbar himself and written by his court historian and biographer, Abul Fazl.
The painting here depicts Emperor Akbar on horseback, taking a look at a wild elephant captured during the hunt near Malwa, a historical region of west-central India. The wild elephant can be seen tied to a tree to start the process of taming it. In the background, two other elephants can be seen with softer expressions on their faces as compared to the one tied to the tree. They are being led away, following the instructions of their master, depicting that they are already tamed. This painting shows how elephants were trained during the time, and the entire cycle of before and after being trained can be seen in one single painting.
The red ink beneath the painting shows that the painting was a royal copy made for Akbar himself. After his death, the manuscript remained in the library of his son Jahangir (r.1605–1627), from whom it was inherited by Shah Jahan (r.1628–1658).
The painting feels like a quiet meditation on power, control and transformation. In the restrained elegance of the Mughal style, there is both beauty and unease the wild elephant’s struggle contrasts with the calm obedience of the tamed ones mirroring the human desire to conquer nature and perhaps, one’s own chaos.
Akbar’s composed निरीक्षण (supervision) suggests authority, yet also curiosity, as if witnessing more than dominance a process of change.
The delicate details soften the harshness of the act turning it into something almost philosophical. It leaves a lingering emotion: admiration intertwined with discomfort at the cost of such imposed harmony.
