Artwork
The hunter offers the mother parrot to the king of Kamarupa, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifth Night
The hunter offers the mother parrot to the king of Kamarupa, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifth Night is an unspecified painting by the Mughal Painting artist Basawan. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Created in 1560 by the Mughal court painter Baswan, this miniature illustrates a narrative from the Tuti‑nama, a collection of parrot tales.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1560 by the Mughal court painter Baswan, this miniature illustrates a narrative from the Tuti‑nama, a collection of parrot tales. The work is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and portrays a ceremonial exchange between a hunter and the ruler of Kamarupa.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a hunter, clad in a grey robe and red head covering, presenting a mother parrot to the Kamarupa king. The monarch, seated on an elaborately patterned throne, receives the bird while a sword‑bearing attendant stands behind him, suggesting a formal courtly audience and the symbolic value of the parrot in the story.
Technique & Style
Executed in the fine brushwork typical of Mughal miniatures, the painting employs a bright palette of blues, reds, yellows and whites. Delicate detailing appears in the patterned textiles, the birdcage on a red‑blue rug, and the ornamental throne, demonstrating the artist’s skill in rendering texture and surface decoration on a small scale.
History & Provenance
The miniature has remained in the Cleveland Museum of Art since its acquisition, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s South Asian holdings. Its attribution to Baswan rests on stylistic analysis linking it to other mid‑16th‑century Mughal works.
Context
The scene derives from the fifth night of the Tuti‑nama, a literary work that uses parrot stories to convey moral and courtly themes. Such illustrations were common in Mughal manuscripts, serving both decorative and didactic purposes within elite patronage.
Artist & collection
Artist
Basāwan, or Basāvan, was an Indian miniature painter in the Mughal style. He was known by his contemporaries as a skilled colorist and keen observer of human nature, and for his use of portraiture in the illustrations…
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
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Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
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