Artwork

Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night

Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

This folio, titled "Landscape with a lotus pool," originates from a *Tuti-nama* manuscript, an illustrated collection known as "Tales of a Parrot.

This folio, titled "Landscape with a lotus pool," originates from a *Tuti-nama* manuscript, an illustrated collection known as "Tales of a Parrot." The page integrates a substantial section of neat black Arabic script with a smaller, vibrant painted scene at its base. It represents the "Eighth Night" within the larger narrative, offering a visual complement to the accompanying text. The artwork functions as both a literary and visual artifact from its period.

Subject & Meaning

The painted portion of the folio depicts a serene landscape, specifically a walled garden featuring a tranquil lotus pool. Lush green trees adorned with red blossoms frame the scene under a clear blue sky. The presence of lotus plants floating on the water suggests a cultivated and peaceful environment, likely illustrating a specific moment or setting from the "Eighth Night" tale recounted in the dominant script above.

Technique & Style

The page's composition is characterized by a strong division between text and image. The majority of the surface is filled with precise black Arabic calligraphy, demonstrating the importance of the narrative. Below this, a narrow painted border introduces a burst of color. The palette is bright, employing vivid greens for foliage, striking reds for flowers, and a clear blue for the sky, rendered with a decorative quality typical of manuscript illumination.

History & Provenance

This particular page was created as part of a larger *Tuti-nama* manuscript commissioned for Prince Salim, who would later become the Mughal emperor Jahangir. While the patron is known, the specific artist responsible for this painting remains anonymous, a common occurrence in the collaborative workshops that produced such elaborate illustrated texts during this historical period.

Artist & collection

Museum

Cleveland Museum of Art

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