"Birth of Ghazan Khan", folio from a copy of the Jami' al-tawarikh (Compendium of Chronicles) by Rashid al-Din (1247–1318)

Artist Basawan (Indian, flourished about 1556–1600)

Dateabout 1596

Creation PlaceLahore, Pakistan, Asia

MediumOpaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper

Dimensionssheet: 37.9 × 24.3 cm (14 15/16 × 9 9/16 in.)

ClassificationsNon-Western Miniatures

Credit LineJerome Wheelock Fund

Terms

Object number1935.12

DescriptionSon of Arghoun Khan, Mongol Sultan of Persia; designed by Basawan; colored by Bhim Goudjarati and the faces of the principal personages are the work of Dharmdas; illustrates the History of the Mongols by Rashided-Din which was illuminated at Delhi for Emperor Akbar in the 2nd half of the 16th c.
Label TextMughal painting came into its own under Emperor Akbar (ruled 1556-1605) with historical scenes such as this. The events Akbar thought most suitable for immortalization in a miniature were often battles and births, for they were not only momentous and lively occasions, but also what most made an empire. This painting depicts the birth of Ghazan Khan (ruled 1295-1304), son of Arghoun Khan (ruled 1284-91), a Mongol sultan of Persia. With manuscripts such as this, Akbar sought to illustrate his noble heritage and further legitimate his rule. The Jami-al-Tawarikh manuscript was originally commissioned by Ghazan Khan's successor, Ulijaytu (ruled 1304-16) as a general history of the worlds as it was known by the Mongol court. The first of its four volumes, from which this probably comes, was a record of the monumental events in the history of the Turkish and Mongol tribes. All three artists who worked on this miniature were leading court painters under Akbar, but the greatest was Basawan, one of the emperor's two most esteemed Indian masters. Basawan is especially noted for compositions that explore the effects of deep space: he moves the viewer’s eye from one vibrant center of activity to another. Basawan's figures, moreover, are well-rounded, giving a strong sense of substance under their ample clothing, and they are enhanced by lively and flamboyant gestures and brilliant colors. As in many paintings from the Akbar period, each figure depicted here is an individual, with his character shown most prominently in the rendering of face and posture.ProvenanceDemotte, New York NY

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