Artwork
Vabhruvahana Approaches Arjuna, page from the Khan Khanan's Razm-nama
Vabhruvahana Approaches Arjuna, page from the Khan Khanan's Razm-nama is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Sur Das. It dates from 1610 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1960.44
- Credit line
- Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
About this work
Overview
The miniature illustrates a moment from the Persian Razm‑nama, depicting the hero Arjuna reclining on a blanket beneath a tree with a mint‑green trunk. A bird‑filled canopy frames the scene, while Arjuna holds his bow as his son Vabhruvahana approaches to offer an apology.
Subject & Meaning
The narrative captures Vabhruvahana’s contrition after seizing a horse intended for a royal sacrifice, an act considered a serious breach. By presenting the son’s apology to his renowned father, the image emphasizes themes of duty, remorse, and the restoration of honor within the epic’s moral framework.
Technique & Style
Rendered in the miniature tradition, the work combines delicate line work with vivid pigments, especially the unusual mint‑green hue of the tree trunk. The composition balances intricate natural details, birds, nests, and eggs, with the human figures, creating a harmonious yet narrative‑driven tableau.
History & Provenance
This page belongs to the Khan Khanan’s Razm‑nama, a Persian illustrated manuscript. The miniature is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, acquired through the museum’s acquisitions program focused on South Asian and Persian illustrated texts.
Context
The Razm‑nama adapts stories from the Indian epic Mahābhārata for a Persian audience, integrating local artistic conventions. The scene reflects the cross‑cultural exchange of the early modern period, where Indian heroic tales were re‑interpreted within Persian literary and visual idioms.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sur Das spent his life inking the Mughal court’s endless parade of envoys and battles, a quiet scribe sketching power moves with a line so spare it feels like he’s holding his breath.
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