Akbar's Expedition by Boat to the Eastern Provinces

Currently not on view

Akbar's Expedition by Boat to the Eastern Provinces

1602-1604

Artist/maker unknown, Indian or Pakistani

Akbar, the third Mughal emperor (ruled 1556-1605) consolidated and greatly expanded his grandfather Babur's conquests. This painting shows Akbar in 1574, traveling with his men on one of his many campaigns. Dressed in white and with clearly identifiable features and dark skin, Akbar sits and gives orders in the center of the second boat from the bottom. Abul Fazl, the author of Akbar's court chronicle, the Akbarnama, described the barges made for this expedition as veritable floating palaces with spaces for all the court functions. Under Akbar's generous patronage, the imperial painting workshop fused Persian, indigenous Indian, and European artistic ideas to create a distinctive Mughal aesthetic.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Title:

Akbar's Expedition by Boat to the Eastern Provinces
Page from a dispersed manuscript of the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar)

Date:

1602-1604

Artist:

Artist/maker unknown, Indian or Pakistani

Medium:

Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Dimensions:

Image: 8 1/2 × 5 inches (21.6 × 12.7 cm) Sheet: 13 1/2 × 9 1/8 inches (34.3 × 23.2 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Credit Line:

The Samuel S. White 3rd and Vera White Collection, 1967

Accession Number:

1967-30-389

Geography:

Made in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia or made in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, Asia

Context:

Dynasty: Mughal Dynasty (1526-1858) Reign: Akbar (1556-1605)

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.

Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit. Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.

Currently not on view