"Misbah the Grocer Brings the Spy Parran to his House", Folio from a Hamzanama (The Adventures of Hamza)

Dasavanta|Mithra

ca. 1570 · Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on cloth; mounted on paper · Islamic Art

The Hamzanama recounts the adventures of Hamza, an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad who was a legendary defender of the faith. This painting shows Misbah on the right and Parran on the left as they plot to rescue Hamza’s kidnapped son. It comes from a multivolume, large‑scale copy of the text made for the emperor Akbar, which took approximately fifteen years to complete. Unlike most books, its paintings were possibly meant to be held up for an audience while a storyteller recited the text.

Artist

Dasavanta|Mithra

Date

ca. 1570

Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on cloth; mounted on paper

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1924