Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page

The script exemplifies Persian nastaʿlīq calligraphy, distinguished by its elegant, slanted strokes and harmonious proportion.

The script exemplifies Persian nastaʿlīq calligraphy, distinguished by its elegant, slanted strokes and harmonious proportion. Ink is applied with a reed pen, producing uniform, flowing lines that fill each boxed segment. The red border, likely added with a pigment wash, frames the page without obscuring the text, underscoring the manuscript’s aesthetic balance between visual restraint and textual clarity.

Created in the medieval Persian world, the page later entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is currently held. Its provenance prior to acquisition by the museum is not detailed in the available information, but the work represents a surviving example of the region’s literary and artistic production.

Manuscript culture in Persia during the medieval period emphasized the integration of literary content with refined calligraphic presentation. *Tuti‑nama* manuscripts were often produced for elite patrons, serving both as entertainment and moral instruction. The page’s modest decorative border reflects a functional approach, prioritizing legibility and the transmission of the narrative over lavish illumination.