Artwork
The two erring cooks, dressed as maidservants, fall at the prince’s feet and beg forgiveness, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of the Parrot): Fourth Night
The two erring cooks, dressed as maidservants, fall at the prince’s feet and beg forgiveness, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of the Parrot): Fourth Night is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work depicts a princely figure seated on an elevated chair, his attire dominated by vivid reds and whites.
About this work
Overview
The work depicts a princely figure seated on an elevated chair, his attire dominated by vivid reds and whites. In front of him, two men in striking green‑gold and red garments kneel, extending their hands in a gesture of supplication. Additional figures are positioned behind them, some standing, others crouching, while a small boat drifts in the distant water, situating the scene outdoors.
Subject & Meaning
The composition illustrates a moment of pleading, where the two kneeling individuals—identified as errant cooks disguised as maidservants—prostrate themselves before the prince, seeking pardon. The relaxed posture of the ruler contrasted with the desperate gestures of the supplicants conveys a narrative of mercy and forgiveness drawn from the fourth night of the *Tuti‑nama*, a collection of moral tales.
Technique & Style
Executed in a palette of warm hues, the painting employs rich reds, greens, and golds to emphasize the opulence of courtly dress and the emotional intensity of the scene. The figures are rendered with a linear clarity that highlights gestures, while the background water and boat are suggested with softer brushwork, creating a balanced spatial depth.
History & Provenance
The image originates from the *Tuti‑nama* ("Tales of the Parrot"), a manuscript created for Prince Salim. It forms part of the illustrated narrative sequence that accompanied the literary work, serving both decorative and didactic purposes within the royal court.
Context
The *Tuti‑nama* was a popular Persian literary genre that combined storytelling with moral instruction, often illustrated for elite patrons. This particular episode, featuring the two cooks, reflects themes of error, disguise, and the possibility of redemption, resonating with contemporary courtly values of justice and clemency.
Artist & collection
The magic parrot of the merchant talks to the vizier’s son, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Tenth Night
The young prince is crowned and the wicked handmaiden is executed, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night
The prince and Nikfal are joined by Khalis and the Mukhlis who are the grateful snake and frog in human form, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighteenth Night
The prince, with the help of Mukhlis who changes into a frog, recovers the ring lost in the sea, and returns it to the king, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighteenth Night
The prince being taken away for execution on the false complaint of the handmaiden, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night
Khalis repays the prince for his kindness by changing into a snake and sucking the poison from the king’s daughter, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighteenth Night
The dervish brings in as dowry an elephant laden with gold, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventh Night
The soldier receives a garland of roses from his wife which will remain fresh as long as she is faithful, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fourth Night
The astrologer predicts a calamity for the newly born prince in his thirteenth year, but one which he would be able to overcome, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night