Hunting Scene from the Akbarnama (with border from the Farhangi-Jahangiri dictionary manuscript)

Two images from the Akbarnama—Akbar hunting and Akbar on horseback—epitomize the distinction between the generic and the specific. The scene of Akbar hunting may represent a specific event. The image displays a wealth of detail, and the depiction of the animals killed, the use of elephants and the architectural structure in the background all lend specificity to the scene. Hunting in general was an important pastime for rulers because it allowed them to travel to far-flung areas of their empire to assess political situations without arousing suspicion. Participation in the hunt kept the army alert and in fighting form. It also allowed the ruler to pass on his wisdom to his sons, who would succeed him to the throne.

This image could be of a specific hunt or represent a more generalized hunting scene, as both types of images were included in the Akbarnama. It might also have been part of an album, a type of book in which discrete, independent images were compiled according to its patron's interests.