Akbar and the Jesuits

The Akbarnama or Book of Akbar is an official, imperial biography, written by Akbar's close friend and associate, Abu ‘l-Fazl. In the illustrations to the text, Akbar is portrayed as a powerful, dynamic and highly heroic figure, much as he seems to have been perceived by his contemporaries. In this painting, however, another aspect of the emperor's personality is portrayed: his intense curiosity about other religions. Akbar is shown in the midst of a theological debate with Jesuit missionaries in his Ibadat Khana, or House of Worship.