Artwork
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This illuminated page belongs to the Persian manuscript *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama), a literary work commissioned for a young prince named Salim. Executed on light‑brown paper, the surface is entirely covered by a dense network of black ink calligraphy, framed by a narrow red line along the margins. The paper bears subtle signs of age, indicating centuries of handling.
Subject & Meaning
The text on the page conveys a segment of the parrot’s narrative, a popular moral tale in Persian literature that uses the bird’s speech to impart ethical lessons. Though the visual focus is the script itself, the content reflects the courtly interest in didactic storytelling and the cultivation of refined taste among elite patrons.
Technique & Style
The calligrapher employed a precise, decorative hand characteristic of late Safavid manuscript production. Black ink flows in tightly curving lines that interlock to fill the entire field, creating a rhythmic visual texture. A thin red border, applied with a fine brush, delineates the page edges, while the paper’s warm tone provides a subtle contrast that enhances legibility.
History & Provenance
Created for Prince Salim, the manuscript exemplifies royal patronage of the arts in early modern Persia. Over time the volume was disassembled, and individual leaves entered the art market. This particular page now resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed alongside comparable Persian works that illustrate the period’s manuscript tradition.
Artist & collection
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
