Paintings of Razmnama is the Persian translation of one of the great Hindu epics of India, the Mahabharata. The Mughal emperor Akbar took a personal interest in the translation project and invited learned men and scholars to participate. Once complete, the translation was produced in a lavishly illustrated manuscript by his atelier. Three copies were made, of which the three-volume Razmnama in the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata, is the only copy that is complete with 81 miniatures, bearing the name of the scribe and the date of completion, 1605. It is as a key document for the study of Mughal painting during the beginning of the 17th century. The paintings are of great interest to students of Mughal painting as they combine the finest elements of the Mughal court style with the narrative style of storytelling. With Introduction by Stuart Cary Welch.
