Construction of the fort at Agra illustration from Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) ca. 1590-95 (made)
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Watercolor |
| Current Location: | V&A South Kensington |
| Location History: | It was originally created in the Mughal imperial atelier around 1590–1595 during the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar as part of the illustrated manuscript of the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar). After Akbar’s death in 1605, the manuscript remained in the imperial Mughal library under his son Jahangir and was later inherited by Shah Jahan. During the colonial period, Major General John Clarke acquired the manuscript in India while serving as Commissioner of Oudh between 1858 and 1862. After Clarke’s death, the manuscript passed to his widow, Frances Clarke, of The Dingle, Sydenham Hill, London. The Victoria and Albert Museum purchased the manuscript from Frances Clarke in 1896, where it remains today in the South & South East Asia Collection and is currently displayed at V&A South Kensington. |
The double-page composition depicting "The Construction of Agra Fort" from the Akbarnama showcases Sarwan’s exceptional skill in bringing a chaotic, monumental undertaking to life through vibrant color and fine detail. Collaborating with the master draftsman Miskina, who provided the underlying composition, Sarwan took charge of the coloring and painting (rang amizi), turning a historical chronicle into a living, breathing spectacle of human labor. Sarwan’s genius lies in his ability to maintain narrative clarity within a densely packed frame. He arranges dozens of figures, from masons and stonecutters to water-carriers and overseers, into a fluid, upward-winding zig-zag that mirrors the physical ascent of the massive fort walls. His deliberate color palette visually distinguishes the individual actors in this imperial drama; the varied garments of the workers stand out sharply against the monolithic red sandstone blocks, creating an energetic rhythm across the page. Rather than presenting a static, idealized monument, Sarwan captures the gritty, kinetic reality of 16th-century Mughal engineering. One can almost hear the clamor of axes hitting stone, the straining of oxen dragging heavy carts, and the shouting of laborers balanced precariously on wooden scaffolding. By varying the intensity of his pigments, Sarwan seamlessly guides the viewer's eye from the churning, darker waters of the Yamuna River at the bottom to the lighter architectural structures rising at the top. Through this brilliant handling of color and motion, Sarwan transforms a state-commissioned record of imperial power into an intimate, masterful celebration of collective human effort.