Who among the following was the court historian of Akbar who recorded that more than a hundred artists were employed in the royal atelier?

Correct Option

The correct option is Abul Fazl.

Explanation

The Mughal school of painting was institutionalized under Emperor Akbar, who established a dedicated royal atelier (Tasvir Khana). The administrative and cultural details of his reign, including the organization of this atelier, were meticulously documented by his court historians.

Detailed Analysis

• Abul Fazl (Correct): He was the court historian and a close confidant of Akbar. In his seminal work, the Ain-i-Akbari (the third volume of the Akbarnama), he recorded that "more than a hundred painters have become famous masters of the art." He provided detailed accounts of the atelier, mentioning that many artists were Hindus and specifically naming masters like Daswanth and Basawan.
• Badauni: Abdul Qadir Badauni was a historian and translator at Akbar's court. While he wrote the Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh, he was a critic of Akbar’s religious policies and did not provide the detailed, laudatory administrative records of the arts that Abul Fazl did.
• Faizi: He was the poet laureate (Malik-ush-Shu'ara) of Akbar’s court and the brother of Abul Fazl. His contributions were primarily in the field of literature and poetry, not in compiling the administrative gazetteer of the empire.
• Todar Mal: He was the Finance Minister (Diwan-i-Ashraf) responsible for the revenue system (Zabti system). His work was unrelated to the documentation of the royal arts atelier.

Key Takeaway

Abul Fazl is the primary source for information regarding Akbar's administration and cultural patronage. His work, Ain-i-Akbari, serves as the official gazetteer documenting the employment and status of artists in the Mughal royal atelier.