Skip to Main Content

Page of disasters, from the Tarikh-i Alfi (History of the Thousand [Years])

c. 1595
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Overall: 41 x 22.6 cm (16 1/8 x 8 7/8 in.)
Dudley P. Allen Fund 1932.36.a
Location: not on view
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

Devastation after an earthquake includes a horse trapped under a fallen pavilion.

Description

The 1,000th anniversary of Islam, according to the Hijri calendar followed by the Mughals and all Muslims, occurred during Akbar’s reign in 1592. He commemorated this milestone in many ways, including the commissioning of a new history of the Islamic world since the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632. The episode discussed on this page took place during the 800s, when hailstorms beset Egypt and an earthquake hit Syria. The ruling caliph at the time was strongly prejudiced against Muslims who belonged to the Shi‘ite branch of Islam. Akbar seemed to be asking his artists to emphasize the natural disasters that took place, suggesting that they occurred as a result of the ruler’s intolerance.
Page of disasters, from the Tarikh-i Alfi (History of the Thousand [Years])

Page of disasters, from the Tarikh-i Alfi (History of the Thousand [Years])

c. 1595

India, Mughal school, 16th century

See Also

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.