Led by Songhur Balkhi and Lulu the Spy, the Ayyars Slit the Throats of Prison Guards and Free Sa'id Farrukh-Nizhad
1557-1572
Indian
Asian Art
The oversized manuscript known as the Hamza- Nama was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar (reigned 1556–1605). All of its paintings are on cloth, with Persian text written on paper glued to the reverse. The pages were probably displayed in storytelling performances. The Hamza-Nama is an adventure tale about the first generations of Muslims. This painting is typical of the series, with multiple figures in active stances set within a sumptuously decorated courtyard. The subject is a night raid on a prison, with the heroes killing their captors in order to free their comrades.
- Maker/Artist
- Indian
- Classification
- Painting
- Formatted Medium
- Opaque watercolor and gold on cotton cloth
- Medium
- opaque, watercolor, gold, cotton, cloth
- Locations
- Place made: India
- Dynasty
- Mughal
- Dimensions
- sheet: 30 7/8 x 24 1/2 in. (78.4 x 62.2 cm) image: 26 15/16 x 20 1/2 in. (68.4 x 52.1 cm)
- Departments
- Asian Art
- Accession Number
- 24.46
- Credit Line
- Museum Collection Fund
- Rights Statement
- No known copyright restrictions
- Museum Location
- This item is not on view
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