Whiteman, Katila. “Essay: Painting.” In The Akbarnama: A Digital Art History Student Project, April 5, 2018. .
The illustration covered here is a miniature illustrated painting from a historical biography called the Akbarnama, created between 1590 and 1595. It was commissioned by Akbar, one of the rulers of the Mughal Empire. Ordering elaborately illustrated biographies was a common trend among Mughal emperors. Akbar employed a man named Abu’l Fazl to document the various events of his reign. This particular copy, believed to be one of the first versions, is held in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England after being owned by Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and a general’s widow respectively (Painting).
The image being presented, which is titled Painting and referenced by the museum number IS.2:57-1896, is one folio from a two-part image that continues onto folio IS.2:64-1896 (also titled Painting). When viewed as a pair, the images show one continuous image, similar to a double-paged spread in a modern-day magazine. A court artist named Kanha outlined both of the images, which were carried out by two separate artists: Nanha was the painter for IS.2:57-1896 and Nandi was the painter for IS.2:64-1896. Additionally, the paintings were both executed using “opaque watercolour and gold on paper.” (Painting).
In addition to the two folios mentioned above, Kanha worked on actualising four other illustrations in the Akbarnama. A majority of his work demonstrates his technical skill and success in forms derived from nature, most notably animals. Part of Kanha’s portfolio includes work in the Baburnama, the bibliography of Akbar’s grandfather and the first Mughal emperor, Babur. There are animals woven throughout the image such as horses, fish, and elephants. However, Kanha also stepped outside of his theme when he worked on war-oriented imagery in the Akbarnama (Bloom).
As Kanha worked on the Akbarnama along with various other artists, he began to form two specific techniques that allow for a more expansive viewing of the paintings. The first is that of placing the action around the edges so as to leave the centre of the composition empty. This effect functioned on a mental level, allowing viewers some “psychological space” to process the fullness of this action-packed image. The second of these techniques was to arrange the action in a “diagonal” manner (Bloom). This is evident in the flow of the river from the top left of the first folio all the way through to the bottom right of the second folio. Bloom and Blair describe how this visual choice allows for the activity in this event to hint at a continuation beyond the “margins.”
Nanha worked for three Mughal Empire rulers during his artistic career: Akbar was the first, followed by Jahangir and then Shah Jahan. Nanha was definitely the painter in the case of this folio, but he also worked in design and portraiture elsewhere in the Akbarnama (Bloom). Nanha has been confused with other artists, including Kanha, because they have very similar names. According to Bloom and Blair, the folio that they both worked on in the Akbarnama serves as reasonable proof that Kanha and Nanha were indeed two different artists. This is because of the red inscriptions seen at the bottom of the page, which were used to list the contributing artists for each respective folio throughout the illustrated manuscript. Here, both Kanha and Nanha are listed as contributing artists, and this would not be the case if they were in fact the same person..
Bloom and Blair, while describing the military technology of the time, reveal that Akbar had a strong fascination with guns and firearms. They state how “Muslim armies” were the first and earliest group to bring guns into the Indian region. Andrew de la Garza further states how both Akbar and Jahangir both had quite the obsession with guns (66). Akbar used and further developed the same war technologies as his ancestors (de la Garza 46). De la Garza provides some insight into the location and setting of this particular battle scene. He discusses how his “arsenal of advanced weaponry led many of Akbar’s enemies to refuse battle and rely on fortifications for protection” (49). This explains why there is such a contrast in the approach to battle on each side. Whereas Akbar’s army is obviously on the offense - with elephants, horses, and men charging toward the river – Khan Zaman’s army is preparing to defend their space and use their fortress structure to their advantage.
The red inscription was a later addition, but there is also an original inscription placed on the scene of the painting in back ink. Beveridge provides a complete English translation of the Akbarnama that provides us with text to accompany the image. Chapter XXXVII describes one of Akbar’s expeditions, part of which included dealing with a troublesome general named Khan Zaman. The first page of the translation delves into what makes up the qualities of a humble and good general and then notes how Khan Zaman was a prime example of what happens with a general does not possess these traits. According to the translation, Akbar’s version of a good general comprised of a person who wants to be successful and, as they accumulate various wealth and riches, this makes them “more humble” towards both their creator and their subjects. When a general does not possess these qualities, as was the case with Khan Zaman, he is ignorant of his responsibilities, greedy and “destructive,” poorly composed around fellow colleagues, and “oppressive and tyrannical” (Beveridge 227). The text delves more into Akbar’s reign, his values, and how he chose to rule his empire. The part of the translation that describes the actual battle scene is minimal at best. A lot of context is provided before and after the even happens, but the battle description is reduced to a few lines. By the brief amount of space dedicated to describing the battle, the text seems to convey that this was a one of a plethora of battles Akbar fought as he travelled through his empire. Additionally, it implies that the image takes precedence over the text in terms of depicting this particular scene. The text provides the context whereas the image contains the action of the scene.
In conclusion, this folio is one of many visual examples throughout the Akbarnama that show how Akbar ruled his empire. He had numerous artists working on his bibliography during his reign – Kanha and Nanha worked on the folio that is examined in this essay. This bibliography helps give a fuller historical context to Akbar’s reign. Specifically, it shows how he divided and controlled his power through his generals. Viewers are provided with a glimpse into 16th century war traditions set in an enjoyable, story-like format with rich accompanying illustrations.