Leaf of the Razamnama

Ya'qub Kashmiri was a significant artist within Emperor Akbar's royal atelier who contributed to the Razamnama- the Persian translation of the Mahabharata in the late 16th Century. Ya'qub Kashmiri often served as a colorist(amal), he was responsible for the sophisticated application of pigments, gold, and fine detailing that bring the epic's complex scenes to life. This painting is from a book called the Baburnama. It was made in the 1590s. Made on Gouache and Gold on Paper. It shows a very important moment. Babur is meeting his sisters. This is happening in a place called Kabul or Herat. Two artists worked on this painting. Their names are Kesu Khurd and Bhagwan. Kesu Khurd decided how the painting would look and Bhagwan did the coloring. The painting is special because it shows two things happening at the time. You can see what is happening inside and outside the garden. Inside the garden Babur is. Talking to one of his sisters. She is bowing down to show respect. There are women around them. Some are holding food and others are using fans. This shows that it is a meeting with family. There is a bed in the background which means it is a place where people live. A small fountain is playing in the garden. This is something you would see in a garden. It means the place is cool and nice. Outside the garden some men are arriving. One of them is on a horse. They might be bringing news. Coming to visit. A guard is standing at the door. He is making sure that only the right people come in. The artist Kesu Khurd was very good at making the painting look like it has depth. The walls are angled which makes it look like a place. The other artist, Bhagwan used a lot of colors like pink and green. The people in the painting are wearing clothes which makes them stand out. There is some writing on the side of the painting that tells us what is happening. The artists also signed their names at the bottom. This painting is very special because it shows a moment that was very important to Babur. He did not get to see his family often. When he did it was a deal. His sisters were very important to him. They helped him with his work. They were, like diplomats. They would talk to groups and help them get along.