Akbar
1592
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1592
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Akbar is a 1592 paint by Farrukh, a Mughal Painting work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
Akbar rides a black horse through a busy Indian street. A Persian artist named Farrukh Beg painted this scene around 1590. He worked alone on every detail, like faces and clothes. The painting comes from the Akbarnama, a book about the Mughal ruler. Akbar took Surat in 1573, and this shows his victory. The colors are bright, but the horse stands out most. Look up Farrukh (Beg) to see more art by this hand.
The illustration depicts Mughal emperor Akbar riding a black horse through Surat in 1573 after its capture, part of the *Akbarnama* manuscript. Painted in opaque watercolor and gold on paper by Farrukh Beg, the work shows Akbar’s procession, including musicians, bodyguards, camels, and an elephant, with a fortified city in the background. The artist, who joined Akbar’s court in 1585, also inscribed calligraphic text on the architecture, demonstrating his skill. The manuscript, commissioned by Akbar and written by Abu’l Fazl, was later owned by Jahangir and Shah Jahan before entering the…
Read the full account in the museum source.
Farrukh’s paintings feel like overheard gossip frozen in ink and gold—the emperor Akbar’s face comes alive with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smirk, as if the artist caught him mid-joke.
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