Baburnama illustration, depicting a prince and attendants under a shamiana (tent shelter)
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Gouache |
| Current Location: | Victoria and Albert Museum (South Kensington, London, United Kingdom) |
| Location History: | Historical Context & Origin (c. 1589–1590): The illustration originates from the First Baburnama manuscript (also known as the South Kensington Baburnama). The Baburnama comprises the personal memoirs written in Chagatai Turkic by Zahir al-Din Muhammad Babur (1483–1530), the founder of the Mughal dynasty. In November 1589, Babur's grandson, the Mughal Emperor Akbar, had the memoirs translated into Persian by his nobleman Abd al-Rahim Khan-i-Khanan. Immediately after the translation was completed, Akbar commissioned his royal imperial workshop (kitabkhana) to produce this first lavishly illustrated manuscript, originally containing around 193 miniature paintings. Specific Narrative Scene: The illustration depicts a historical event from 1497 when a young Babur fell critically ill in Samarkand for four days and received envoys and attendants while lying weak on a carpet/platform beneath a temporary pavilion tent (shamiana). Below the main scene, two Persian text panels in Nasta'liq script describe the event, followed by a smaller attribution note identifying the artists involved in its composition and painting (composed by Ya'qub Kashmiri and painted by Na'il). Dispersal & Acquisition (1913): The original manuscript remained intact in the imperial library for centuries until it was broken up and dispersed for individual sale in Europe in 1913. Approximately 70 illustrations survived across worldwide public and private collections, with around 20 detached folios—including this page (IM.273-1913)—being acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1913. |
Looking at this scene from the Baburnama, your eyes are immediately drawn to the top where a young prince sits cross-legged under a big, colorful tent shelter or shamiana, as it's called. The canopy has a vibrant red top with blue side flaps trimmed in a wave-like zig-zag pattern. He’s dressed in a soft green robe, looking pretty relaxed on a decorated stone platform, surrounded by several attendants who seem busy keeping him comfortable. One guy right behind him is fanning him with a flywhisk, while others bring forward food platters or stand by respectfully. Moving down into the green courtyard, things get even busier, almost a little cluttered in a charming way. There is a whole spread of picnic items laid out directly on the ground and on low stands. You can spot white flasks, ceramic bowls, and large platters filled with what looks like bread, roasted meats, or maybe even large root vegetables. Over on the left side, a man in a pinkish-purple robe holds a falcon perched on his gloved hand, looking like he's ready for a hunt. Right near the food spread, there's a red low table with a sheathed sword and bow resting on it, a subtle reminder that despite the quiet picnic vibe, this is still very much a royal military camp out in the field. Towards the bottom, a couple more men are arriving at the scene. An older bearded gentleman carrying a heavy sack over his shoulder seems to be guided by a figure in a bright orange coat, walking across a patch of tiny wild flowers. Down in the bottom right corner, there's a block of neat Persian handwriting framed inside a rectangular box, which explains the scene, along with a small line of text right underneath it most likely the painter's signature. The overall image uses rich shades of orange, green, and deep blue set against dark leafy trees in the background, capturing a lively, detailed moment of outdoor royal life.
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