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 page from the illustrated manuscript *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Overview
The object is a single page from the illustrated manuscript *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama). Rendered on a light‑tan folio, the surface is filled with a continuous block of black calligraphic script, organized in evenly spaced lines. A narrow red border encloses the page, with a subtle blue line running just inside the margin.
Subject & Meaning
The text on the page forms part of the narrative of *Tales of a Parrot*, a collection of stories composed for Prince Salim. The work’s literary content was intended for a princely audience, reflecting the patron’s taste for moral and entertaining tales conveyed through the voice of a parrot narrator.
Technique & Style
The calligraphy displays a refined, flowing hand, characteristic of high‑quality Persian manuscript production. The script is executed in black ink on paper, while the decorative framing employs thin red pigment and a faint blue line, providing a restrained yet elegant visual accent that highlights the textual field without overwhelming it.
History & Provenance
The page originates from a manuscript created for Prince Salim, a member of the Mughal court, indicating a royal commission. Comparable folios from the same codex are held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, suggesting that the manuscript was once dispersed and that this fragment has been acquired by a public institution for study and display.
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
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page