Umar Disguised as the Surgeon Mazmahil, Arrives before the Castle of Antali, from a Hamzanama

Object Details

• Patron

  Akbar (reigned 1556-1605)

• Artist

  Attributed to Shravana and Mahesha

• Court

  Mughal Court

• School/Tradition

  Mughal school

• Label

  The Persian Hamzanama, or tales of Hamza, (an uncle of Prophet Muhammed), consists of a series of wild and fantastic adventures that appear to have been a favorite of the young Mughal Emperor Akbar. The Hamzanama's mélange of fact, fiction, and folk tales revolves around heroic Hamza and his friend Amr who spread Islam throughout the world. The episode depicted here shows Amr, disguised as the surgeon Mizzmuhil, approaching the citadel at Antalya where several of Hamza's followers were imprisoned. The artist presents an undisturbed view of the fort's exterior walls as well as all its interior activities.

• Provenance

  ca. 1570

  Akbar (1542-1605; reign 1556-1605), by commission [1]

  ca. 1570-1739

  Mughal Library, Delhi, India, under Muhammad Shah (1702-1748; reign 1719-1748) [2]

  1739-?

  Imperial Library, Tehran, under Nadir Shah (1688-1747; reign 1736-1747) and subsequent rulers of Iran, Nadir Shah had paintings and manuscripts taken from the Mughal library during his invasion of Delhi, India [3]

  ?-at least 1958

  Ownership information unknown

  At least 1958-1960

  H. Kevorkian, New York, NY, method of acquisition unknown [4]

  From 1960

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from H. Kevorkian [5]

  Notes:

  [1] John Seyller, “The Adventures of Hamza: Painting and Storytelling in Mughal India” [exhibition catalogue], (Washington, DC, and London: Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, and Azimuth, 2002), cat. 67, p. 206 (F1960.14); cat. 70, p. 217 (F1960.15). During the invasion of Delhi, India in 1739, Nadir Shah had luxury goods, including paintings and manuscripts, taken from the Mughal library during the reign of Muhammad Shah.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] See note 1.

  [4] See incoming receipt, dated June 23, 1958, copy in object file. The object was transferred from H. Kevorkian, New York, NY, to the Freer Gallery of Art for acquisition consideration on June 23, 1958. F1960.14 and F1960.15 are described as, “2 large Hamzanahmah paintings.”

  Hagop Kevorkian (1872-1962) was a dealer and collector of Islamic Art with eponymous galleries in New York and Paris.

  [5] See object file for copy of H. Kevorkian invoice, to Freer Gallery of Art, dated August 5, 1960, and marked approved on June 4, 1959. F1960.14 and F1960.15 are described as, “2 Indian Paintings, Mughal (Hamzanahmah), c. 1575.” This invoice was issued by Hagop Kevorkian from the Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland, where he was residing temporarily.

  Research updated December 5, 2023

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Body Image (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  Worlds within Worlds: Imperial Paintings from India and Iran (July 28 to September 16, 2012)

  Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas (October 16, 2004 to January 3, 2016)

  The Adventures of Hamza (June 26 to September 29, 2002)

  Masterworks of Indian Painting (December 13, 1997 to June 13, 1998)

  South and South East Asian Art (May 9, 1993 to February 7, 2000)

  The Arts of South Asia (May 13, 1985 to December 2, 1985)

  The Imperial Image: Painting for the Mughal Court (September 25, 1981 to 30 March 1982)

  Indian Art (January 1, 1963 to January 28, 1981)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Akbar (reigned 1556-1605)

  Muhammad Shah (1702-1748; reign 1719-1748)

  Mughal Library

  Nadir Shah (1688-1747; reigned 1736-1747)

  Imperial Library (Tehran)

  Hagop Kevorkian (1872-1962)

• Origin

  India

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1570s, 1550s

• Name

  Shah, Nadir, Imperial Library (Tehran), Kevorkian, Hagop, Muhammad Shah, Mughal Library, Akbar

• Place

  India

• Topic

  Hamzanama, South Asian and Himalayan Art, Umar, Art, Palace, Mughal dynasty (1526 - 1858), Reign of Akbar (1556 - 1605)

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Paintings