Artwork
Akbar and Hamid Bakari
Akbar and Hamid Bakari is a paint painting by the Mughal Painting artist Miskina. It dates from 1592 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The panel forms the right half of a two‑page illustration from a Mughal chronicle that records a royal hunt near Lahore in 1567.
About this work
Overview
The panel forms the right half of a two‑page illustration from a Mughal chronicle that records a royal hunt near Lahore in 1567. Central to the scene is Emperor Akbar on horseback, sword raised, surrounded by courtiers and participants in the ceremonial chase.
Subject & Meaning
The composition not only celebrates the emperor’s prowess but also records a disciplinary episode: Hamid Bakari, punished for shooting at a court servant, is depicted with his head shaved and forced to ride an ass backwards, underscoring the ruler’s authority and the court’s moral order.
Technique & Style
Designed by the court artist Miskina, who rendered the emperor’s likeness, the remainder of the image was executed by Sarwan. The work reflects the refined Mughal painting style of the late 16th century, combining precise portraiture with narrative detail in a compact, richly colored format.
History & Provenance
The image belongs to a copy of the Akbarnama, the official Persian chronicle commissioned by Akbar and written by Abu’l‑Fazl between 1590 and 1596. Illustrated around 1592–1595, the manuscript was a royal copy for the emperor, later passing to his son Jahangir’s library before entering the V&A collection.
Context
The Akbarnama served as a visual and textual record of Akbar’s reign, integrating historical narrative with courtly art. The inclusion of artist names in red ink beneath the panels confirms the involvement of leading royal painters, as listed in Abu’l‑Fazl’s A’in‑i Akbari.
Artist & collection
Artist
Miskin (c. 1560 - c. 1604), also known as Miskina, was a Mughal painter in the court of Akbar I. The name 'Miskin' itself is a pen name. Miskin is recorded by the historian and grand vizier of Akbar, Abu'l-Fazl, in a…
