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The Young Emperor Akbar Arrests the Insolent Shah Abu’l-Maali, Page from a Manuscript of the Akbarnama

Basawan

Mughal dynasty (1526-1857), c. 1590-1595

The Young Emperor Akbar Arrests the Insolent Shah Abu’l-Maali, Page from a Manuscript of the Akbarnama by Basawan

Medium

Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Dimensions

Image: 32 × 19.3 cm (12 5/8 × 7 9/16 in.); Outermost border: 33 × 19.6 cm (13 × 7 11/16 in.); Page: 34.4 × 20 cm (13 1/2 × 7 7/8 in.)

Classification

painting

Department

Arts of Asia

Museum

Art Institute of Chicago

Accession Number

76816

Art Historical Context

This vibrant page from the *Akbarnama*, the grand illustrated biography of Mughal Emperor Akbar, captures a pivotal moment in his early reign: the young Akbar boldly arresting the insolent Shah Abu’l-Maali around 1560. Created by the master miniaturist Basawan circa 1590–1595 during the height of the Mughal dynasty (1526–1857), it exemplifies the opulent court art commissioned by Akbar to chronicle his triumphs and legitimize his rule. The *Akbarnama*, compiled by his court historian Abu’l-Fazl, blended Persian literary traditions with Indian visual storytelling, making history vivid and acces...

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