“Akbar’s Triumphant Entry into Surat”
This watercolor and gold on paper painting, titled “Akbar’s Triumphant Entry into Surat”, is by the Iranian artist, Farrukh Beg. It was made between 1590 and 1595 as an illustration to accompany the Akbarnāma or the Book of Akbar.
The Akbarnāma was commissioned by Emperor Akbar to chronicle his reign. Akbar was the third Emperor of the Mughal Empire who reigned from 1556 to 1605. The Mughal Empire expanded from modern day northern India to northeastern Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The Akbarnāma was written by the court historian and biographer, Abu’l Fazl, between 1590 and 1596. The text was accompanied with illustrations from over 49 different artists. Beg’s illustration here is thought to be one of the images from the very first illustrated copy of the Akbarnāma. The names of the artist who illustrated each image were written at the bottom of the illustrated pages in red ink, leading historians to believe that it was Akbar’s personal copy.
This piece exemplifies the Mughal School of South Asian painting which were mostly miniatures used in books or as standalone images. Mughal art developed from the well-known Persian Miniatures. This style flourished under the reign of Akbar who employed many artists to create images for books such as the Akbarnāma.
In this piece, Akbar is triumphantly entering the fort of Surat, an established port city in India. Akbar is being followed in by a musician, bodyguards, camels, and an elephant. The Siege of Surat took place in 1573 when Akbar gained access to the city when it was under the control of the Portuguese.
“Akbar’s Triumphant Entry into Surat” is currently in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England.
For more on Farrukh Beg, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
