Emperor Akbar Hunting Nilgai

Culture: Indian
Period: Mughal dynasty, 1526–1858
Reign: Akbar I, Emperor of Hindustan, Mughal, reigned 1556–1605
Date: c.1595–1605
Material: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
made in: India, Asia
Classification: Drawings & watercolors, paintings
Collection: Islamic Art
Current Location: Not on view
Dimensions: image: 7 1/2 x 5 1/4 in. (19.1 x 13.3 cm)
sheet: 18 5/8 x 12 3/16 in. (47.3 x 31 cm)
mat size: 28 x 22 in. (71.1 x 55.9 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of J. Lionberger Davis
Rights: Public Domain
Object Number: 105:1953

NOTES

This miniature painting shows Emperor Akbar (1542–1605) on horseback hunting nilgai (Boselaphus tragocomelus), large blue-gray Indian antelopes whose males have horns. An attendant is nearby on foot holding a hound also in pursuit of the wild game. The background features a landscape of rocky cliffs, trees, and a distant domed castle as well as six human figures. One figure rides on horseback holding a hawk in his right hand while another carries a spear. The third Mughal emperor, Akbar is also known as Akbar the Great. He extended the Mughal Empire to encompass a large portion of the Indian subcontinent. This painting’s pink and gold border is a later addition from the 18th century.

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