In which period the book 'Anwar-i-Suhaili' was painted ?

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Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:
The book Anwar-i-Suhaili (Lights of Canopus), a collection of animal fables and wisdom literature, was famously painted during the reign of Emperor Akbar (1556–1605). Akbar's period marks the real genesis of the Mughal school of painting, establishing a large, bustling royal atelier where Persian and Indian artists collaborated to illustrate major narrative texts. The most well-known, earliest complete illustrated copy of the Anwar-i-Suhaili is specifically dated to 1570, unequivocally placing its production within Akbar's reign. This commission reflects Akbar's intellectual curiosity and his desire to have Persian translations of popular fables and epics illustrated on a grand scale, solidifying his role as the great patron of Mughal manuscript painting.

The incorrect option is 1:
Jahangir (1605–1627) was also a great patron of art, and while copies of Anwar-i-Suhaili were illustrated during his time, such as one around 1610, the book's initial and most significant painting period in the Mughal tradition was under Akbar. Jahangir's personal preference shifted the artistic focus from large narrative manuscripts to highly refined, naturalistic studies of flora, fauna, and individual portraiture, often collected in royal albums. The style became more delicate, naturalistic, and focused on observation. Therefore, while illustrations exist from his reign, the primary period of the book's painting is correctly associated with the foundational manuscript style of his father, Akbar.

The incorrect option is 3:
Shahjahan (1628–1658) continued the tradition of painting but presided over a period where the Mughal style became more formalized, decorative, and opulent, often emphasizing technical precision and portraiture over the narrative drama seen in Akbar’s manuscripts. The focus shifted to grand courtly scenes, architectural backdrops, and meticulously rendered likenesses of the emperor and his nobles. The art of his court moved further away from the energetic and narrative-heavy style of the earlier Anwar-i-Suhaili manuscripts, making his era too late to be considered the primary period for the painting of this significant early text.

The incorrect option is 4:
Humayun (1530–1540 and 1555–1556) is credited with initiating the Mughal school by bringing Persian masters like Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad to India. His reign, however, was interrupted and short, and the royal atelier was not yet fully organized for large-scale, systematic illustration projects. While initial foundational works like the Hamzanama were commissioned, the prolific and characteristic production of major illustrated texts like the Anwar-i-Suhaili only commenced and reached its maturity under his son, Akbar, following the establishment of a stable and powerful empire.