Artwork

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

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, unspecified, 1560
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, unspecified, 1560

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 object is a single folio from the illustrated manuscript *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama).

About this work

Overview

This object is a single folio from the illustrated manuscript *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama). The page consists of light‑brown paper on which a dense block of Arabic calligraphy is rendered in black ink. The sheet is framed by a thin red margin, and each corner bears a small blue square, indicating a decorative finishing treatment.

Subject & Meaning

The text on the page forms part of a narrative composed for a young nobleman named Prince Salim. The story, centered on a talking parrot, was intended to entertain and instruct, and the careful, ornamental script reflects the dual aim of visual elegance and literary content.

Technique & Style

The calligrapher employed a flowing, connected hand characteristic of Arabic manuscript tradition, using black ink to produce tightly spaced letters that fill the surface. The surrounding red border and blue corner marks are applied with a fine brush, adding a subtle chromatic accent that frames the script without detracting from its legibility.

History & Provenance

The folio originates from a courtly production likely commissioned in the early modern period for Prince Salim, a member of a ruling elite. Similar pages from the same codex are held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, indicating that the manuscript was preserved as a valued example of literary and decorative arts.

Artist & collection

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.