Timur distributes gifts from his grandson, the Prince of Multan, from a Zafar-nama (Book of Victories) (1598–1600): Art, History and Details

Timur distributes gifts from his grandson, the Prince of Multan, from a Zafar-nama (Book of Victories) (1598–1600) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Shravana (Indian, active 1550s–c.1600).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

The Turkic conqueror Timur (1336–1405) is the Mughal emperor Akbar’s most celebrated paternal ancestor. He sits on a terrace, shaded by a crimson awning. The blue carpet with gold border marking his high status is covered with a floral vine pattern that became fashionable in the 1500s. This scene takes place in a territory governed by Timur’s grandson, who sent him gifts of horses, camels, and a variety of luxury items. Timur is in the process of regifting them to members of his entourage in accordance with their merits.

Object facts

• Title: Timur distributes gifts from his grandson, the Prince of Multan, from a Zafar-nama (Book of Victories)
• Date: 1598–1600
• Creator attribution: Shravana (Indian, active 1550s–c.1600)
• Culture: Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)
• Type: Painting
• Technique: Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
• Dimensions: Sheet: 28.2 x 20.2 cm (11 1/8 x 7 15/16 in.); Image: 14.7 x 9.8 cm (5 13/16 x 3 7/8 in.)
• Collection: Indian Art - Mughal
• Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• Accession number: 2012.301

A detail from the museum

Pre-modern giftwrap: Round textiles cover presentation platters.

Collection credit

Gift of Dr. Norman Zaworski

Further reading listed by the museum

• Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine. Vol. 53 no. 02, March/April 2013

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.