Description
The hero, Alamshah the Greek, perches on a cliff above a rushing torrent of water. He has just slain the villain who raised the massive bronze plug on the dam in order to wash away the camp of Alamshah’s father, Hamza.
The Hamza-nama recounts the adventures of an uncle of the Prophet Mohammed. It was the first major undertaking of the fledgling painting workshop created by Akbar. Originally in 14 volumes of 100 illustrations each, just a little more than 10 percent of the pages survive.
The Hamza-nama recounts the adventures of an uncle of the Prophet Mohammed. It was the first major undertaking of the fledgling painting workshop created by Akbar. Originally in 14 volumes of 100 illustrations each, just a little more than 10 percent of the pages survive.
Provenance
Tabbagh; George Bickford [1901–1991] and Clara Louise Gehring Bickford [1903–1985], Cleveland Heights, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (?–1976); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1976–)
Alamshah cleaving asunder the chain of the wheel, from volume 11 of a Hamza-nama (Adventures of Hamza)
c. 1560s–70s
Accession Number
1976.74
Medium
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on cotton and paper
Dimensions
Page: 83.7 x 67 cm (32 15/16 x 26 3/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Gift of George P. Bickford
