Tomb of Akbar

This unfinished watercolor painting depicts the front of the tomb of Akbar, the third Mughal emperor (r. 1556 to 1605. The large, arch-shaped doorway (iwan) bears decorative panels with geometric, floral, and calligraphic designs. The actual tomb building is a four-tiered pyramid that is surmounted by a marble pavilion. The building is mainly constructed from red sandstone with accented with chhatris (canopies), large, dome-like structures that commonly adorn Indian architecture. In front of the complex is a square pool. The depiction is enclosed within a black border. At the bottom of the page, the inscription states, “Tomb of Akbar”.