Mughal Illustrated Manuscripts

Illustrated Books of Akbar's Court | Mughal Art

While the Hamzanama, Razmnama, and Baburnama were heavily illustrated in Akbar's court, the Tarikh-i-Alfi was not an illustrated work.

Primary Reference: NCERT Class XII - An Introduction to Indian Art Part II

Archived:

Updated:

Which one of the following books was NOT illustrated with paintings in Akbar's court?

[UPSC CDS 2016 (I)]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept


Akbar’s royal atelier produced massive illustration projects for Persian epics and family chronicles to visualize the power and heritage of the Mughal state.

Authentic Source Evidence


The Hamzanama, Razmnama (Persian translation of Mahabharata), and Baburnama were all famously illustrated by the court studio. The Tarikh-i-Alfi, a history of the first Muslim millennium, was primarily a historical text compiled without the extensive painting programs assigned to epics and memoirs.

Analytical Breakdown


  • Logic 1: Epics and family memoirs were the priority for illustration as they served a storytelling and legitimization role.

  • Logic 2: Historical compilations like the Tarikh-i-Alfi were often treated as formal scholarly records rather than illustrated narrative art.
  • Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

    "What is the Razmnama?"

    It is the Persian translation of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, commissioned and illustrated by Emperor Akbar.

    Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

    "Under Akbar, painting became a collaborative tool for translating different cultural epics into a visual Mughal language."

    Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

    UPSC Question Bank | Verified
    Live Archive Status