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Akbar-Nama of Abu'l Fazl: Akbar mounted on elephant pursues wild elephant across collapsing bridge of boats, outline by Basawan, painting by Chatar, late 16th century

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Victoria & Albert Museum
Photographer: Arthur Llewellyn Basham

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Striking instances of a strong diagonal axis occur in two of the best-known pages, illustrating Akbar's attempt to control a wild elephant as it rushes onto a bridge of boats on the Jehelum, and the siege train before the castle of Ranthambor, hauled up the steep rocky hill by oxen. The first of these two double-page pictures is by Basawan, the second by Miskina, both of whom are rivalled in this manuscript only by three other painters, Lal, Kesu the Elder and Madhu the Elder, all of whom are not unexpectedly among those mentioned in the A'in I-Akbari, thus showing their reputation at the time. (Douglas E. Barrett & Basil Gray, Painting of India, Geneva, Skira, 1963, p. 93)

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This item is provided for research purposes. Contact the Australian National University Archives at butlin.archives@anu.edu.au for permission to use.

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