Posted on: 16 October 2012

Akbar Hears a Petition from an Akbarnama
ca. 1604

Manohar
Mughal dynasty
Akbar(r. 1556 - 1605)

Gold and color on paper
H: 26.1 W: 14.2 cm
India

This page from the Akbarnama (History of Akbar) written by Akbar's trusted adviser Abul Fazl, illustrates the emperor seated in regal isolation at the center of the painting, listening to a petition being presented to him by a noble. The European depicted near the bottom left demonstrates the cosmopolitan mix of people at court as well as Akbar's interest in the portrayal of different types of people The artist Manohar was specially interested in depicting the majesty of the imperial Mughal court; in stressing surface designs rather than spatial values, he created brilliantly patterned compositions.

Copyright © 2012 Smithsonian Institution


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This is where you see that the painting was during Akbar's time. It is depicted by the woodenness of figures and their expressions, as well as the lack of perspective in the blue carpet.

Manohar was indeed one of the master painters of the Mughal atelier and worked under the patronage of both Akbar and Jehangir. He was the son of another great stalwart of Mughal painting- Basawan, and hence was trained well. An account of Manohar's life,technique and his works can be found in the pioneering series on Indian painting by Goswamy, Beach and Fischer- titled "Masters of Indian Painting, 1100-1900'.