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Baburnama
(Manuscripts and Rare Books, Islamic World , Islamic Manuscripts, India, Nepal, and Tibet)
Walters manuscript W.596 is a copy of the Baburnama. Recognized as one of the world's great autobiographical memoirs, the Baburnama is the story of Zahir al-Din Muhammad Babur (866 AH/AD 1483-937 AH/AD 1530), who conquered northern India and established the Mughal Empire (or Timurid-Mughal empire). Born in Fergana (Central Asia), Babur was a patrilineal Timurid and matrilineal Chingizid. Babur wrote his memoir in Chaghatay Turkish, which he referred to as Turkic, and it was later translated into Persian and repeatedly copied and illustrated under his Mughal successors. The present copy in Persian, written in Nasta'liq script, is a fragment of a dispersed manuscript that was executed in the late 10th century AH/AD 16th. The ordering of the folios as found here does not follow the narrative of the text. The Walters' fragment contains 30 mostly full-page paintings that are representative of the Mughal court style under the Mughal Emperor Akbar (reigned 963 AH/AD 1556-1014 AH/AD 1605). Another major fragment of this work containing 57 folios is in the State Museum of Eastern Cultures, Moscow. The dark green leather binding, which is not original to the manuscript, dates to the late 13th century AH/AD 19th or early 14th century AH/AD 20th.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 2010 | Poetry and Prayer: Islamic Manuscripts from the Walters Art Museum. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
| 1998 | Mything Persons: Historic Figures in Legends of East and West. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1988-1989 | The Royal Style. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1984-1985 | Illuminated Manuscripts: Masterpieces in Miniature. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1982 | The Art of the Book in India. British Library, London. |
Geographies
India (Place of Origin)
Measurements
Folio H: 12 5/8 x W: 8 1/4 in. (32 x 21 cm); W closed: 8 1/4 x D: 3/8 in. (21 x 1 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
W.596
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Related Objects
Binding from the Baburnama
Birds of Hindustan: Luchas, Called Buqalamun, and Partridges
Birds of Hindustan: Starlings, Called Pandavali
Animals and Birds of of Hindustan: MonkeysThat Can Be Taught to Do Tricks, from the Baburnama (Book of Babur)
Animals of Hindustan: Small Deer and Cows Called Gini
Animals and Birds of Hindustan: Squirrels and Peacock, from the Baburnama (Book of Babur)
Babur and His Retinue Visiting Gor Khatri from the Baburnama (Book of Babur)
Babur and his Party Hunting for Rhinoceros in Swati
Final Phase of the Battle of Kandahar on the Side of the Murghan Mountain
Hamzah Sultan, Mahdi Sultan, and Mamaq Sultan Paying Homage to Babur
The Battle of Sultan Husayn Mirza Against Sultan Mas'ud Mirza
Sultan Muhammad Vays Offering Babur a Healthy Horse
Babur Being Entertained in Ghazni by Jahangir Mirza
Presentation of Awards at Sultan Ibrahim’s Court
