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. This illuminated page originates from the manuscript *Tales of a Parrot*, a narrative work composed for a patron named Prince Salim.
About this work
Overview
This illuminated page originates from the manuscript *Tales of a Parrot*, a narrative work composed for a patron named Prince Salim. Executed in black ink on a warm, yellowed sheet of paper, the surface is densely covered with tightly spaced, curved Arabic calligraphy, framed by a slender red border that defines the page’s limits.
Subject & Meaning
The text presents a segment of the *Tales of a Parrot* story, a collection of moral and entertaining episodes traditionally conveyed through a talking bird. The manuscript’s dedication to Prince Salin underscores its role as a courtly object, intended to educate and amuse a princely audience.
Technique & Style
The calligrapher employed a precise, uniform hand, producing even, flowing strokes that fill the page from margin to margin. The ink’s deep black hue contrasts with the paper’s aged tone, while the thin red line that borders the text serves both decorative and structural purposes, emphasizing the page’s composition.
History & Provenance
Created for Prince Salim, the manuscript reflects the patronage practices of its era, where rulers commissioned finely written works for personal libraries. The page’s present condition—marked by minor stains and a patina of age—indicates long-term preservation, though its exact later ownership remains undocumented.
Context
Arabic manuscript culture prized legibility and aesthetic balance, qualities evident in this page’s meticulous lettering. The *Tales of a Parrot* belongs to a broader tradition of didactic literature that blended storytelling with moral instruction, often circulated among elite circles.
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
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page