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File:1561-Akbar riding the elephant Hawa'I pursuing another elephant across a collapsing bridge of boats (left).jpg

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Summary

Basawan: Akbar's adventures with the elephant Hawa'i (V&A IS.2:22-1896)  wikidata:Q108040921 reasonator:Q108040921
Artist
  • Unknown (production)
  • Basawan (probably, designed by)
image of artwork listed in title parameter on this page
Title
Akbar's Adventures with the Elephant Hawa'i in 1561
Part of Victoria and Albert Akbarnama Edit this at Wikidata
Object type folio / manuscript illumination Edit this at Wikidata
Description
Left half of a double page composition (right half being IS.2:21-1896). Depicts Akbar's adventure on his elephant Hawa'i outside the fort of Agra in 1561. According to Abu'l Fazl, Hawa'i was reputed to be one of the strongest and most difficult elephants to handle, yet Akbar mounted him with ease and pitted him against an equally fierce elephant named Ran Bagha. The illustration shows Akbar, mounted on Hawa'i, pursuing the elephant Ran Bagha across a collapsing bridge of boats over the river Jamuna. The bridge is collapsing under the weight of the elephants and a number of Akbar's servants have jumped into the water to follow the chase.
Depicted people Akbar Edit this at Wikidata
Date circa 1590
date QS:P571,+1590-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
-95,
Medium Opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Dimensions Height: 33 cm, Width: 20 cm
institution QS:P195,Q213322
Current location
London
Accession number
IS.2:22-1896 (Victoria and Albert Museum) Edit this at Wikidata
Place of creation Mughal Empire Edit this at Wikidata
Object history

The Akbarnama was commissioned by the emperor Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written by Abu'l Fazl between 1590 and 1596 and is thought to have been illustrated concurrently by the royal artists. After Akbar's death in 1605, the manuscript remained in the library of his son, Jahangir (r. 1605-1627) and later that of Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658). The Museum purchased it in 1896 from Frances Clarke, the widow of Major General 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 inscriptions in red ink on the bottom of the paintings name the artists.
Credit line 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.
Inscriptions
  • Tarh-e Basawan
  • Amal-e Chitra Composition by Basawan
  • Work [=painting] by Chitra
References

Sen, Geeti, Paintings from the Akbar Nama, Lustre Press, 1984, p. 72. T.Koezuka,ed; RC,TK,SS; catalogue;intro DS&TK; The Arts of THe Indian Courts. Osaka.1993. No.8

Susan Stronge, Painting for the Mughal Emperor. The art of the book 1560-1650, V&A Publications, plate 49, pp. 76-7.
Source/Photographer
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Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current22:55, 30 May 2020Thumbnail for version as of 22:55, 30 May 20201,594 × 2,500 (1.18 MB)Graeme374Reverted to version as of 06:25, 18 December 2011 (UTC)
13:10, 11 January 2012Thumbnail for version as of 13:10, 11 January 20121,445 × 2,247 (659 KB)Sridhar1000better
06:25, 18 December 2011Thumbnail for version as of 06:25, 18 December 20111,594 × 2,500 (1.18 MB)Sridhar1000real
07:24, 13 December 2011Thumbnail for version as of 07:24, 13 December 20111,211 × 1,883 (545 KB)Sridhar1000large
08:52, 3 November 2011Thumbnail for version as of 08:52, 3 November 20111,024 × 1,666 (301 KB)Sridhar1000
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