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 known as *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Overview
This illuminated page originates from the manuscript known as *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama). Executed as a painted sheet, it presents a dense block of black ink calligraphy set against a lightly yellowed paper surface. The composition is bounded by a narrow red line that frames the text, and the sheet, though aged, remains in good condition.
Subject & Meaning
The narrative contained on the page forms part of a courtly tale composed for Prince Salim, a member of the Mughal royal family. The story’s title suggests a moral or allegorical function, using the parrot as a symbolic voice to convey wisdom or instruction to its princely audience.
Technique & Style
The calligraphic script is rendered in an elegant, curvilinear hand, each character flowing into the next with a rhythmic continuity reminiscent of a dance. Ink is applied in a uniform, deep black, while the background paper exhibits a subtle patina of age. A thin vermilion border delineates the margin, adding a modest decorative accent without overwhelming the text.
History & Provenance
The page is part of a larger illustrated codex that was produced in the early modern period for the Mughal court. It entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art through acquisition in the twentieth century, where it is displayed as an example of courtly manuscript production and preserved for scholarly study.
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