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. The object is a single folio from an early manuscript titled *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Overview
The object is a single folio from an early manuscript titled *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama). It consists of a rectangular page with a beige parchment background on which black ink conveys a continuous narrative. The page is framed by a decorative border composed of fine red, blue, and gold lines that outline the text block.
Subject & Meaning
The inscribed passage appears to be a literary work—likely a story or poem—centered on the adventures or symbolism of a parrot. While the language remains unidentified, the flowing script and ornamental flourishes suggest a text intended for an educated audience familiar with the cultural motifs associated with avian figures.
Technique & Style
The scribe employed a fine-point pen to render a cursive, highly ornamental script, characterized by elongated strokes and decorative ligatures. The border was added with thin brushes or pens, using a limited palette of red, blue, and gold pigments, applied in linear patterns that echo contemporary manuscript illumination practices.
History & Provenance
The folio originates from a larger codex whose exact date and place of production are not specified in the available data. Its survival as an individual page indicates it was removed or separated from the original volume, possibly during later collection or conservation efforts.
Context
Manuscripts of this type were typically produced in courtly or scholarly settings where illustrated texts served both educational and aesthetic purposes. The inclusion of a vivid border and elaborate script aligns with traditions of luxury book production in regions where Persian or Central Asian literary cultures flourished.
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
