Artwork
The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the thirty-eighth night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the thirty-eighth night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work is a painted illustration taken from a Persian manuscript known as the *Tuti‑nama* (Tales of a Parrot).
About this work
Overview
The composition is framed by a patterned wall of yellow and blue motifs, a red bed, and a small table bearing a pink object.
The work is a painted illustration taken from a Persian manuscript known as the *Tuti‑nama* (Tales of a Parrot). It depicts a scene in which a woman in a vivid orange‑white garment stands beside a red balcony, while a green parrot perched on a nearby cushion gazes toward her face. The composition is framed by a patterned wall of yellow and blue motifs, a red bed, and a small table bearing a pink object.
Subject & Meaning
The image visualizes the opening of the thirty‑eighth night of the *Tuti‑nama*, a narrative in which the parrot addresses the character Khujasta. The parrot, a recurring symbolic figure in Persian literature, often serves as a messenger or commentator, suggesting a dialogue between the bird and the female figure that underscores themes of love and courtship.
Technique & Style
Executed in miniature painting technique, the scene features fine brushwork and intricate detailing, especially evident in the black ornamental patterns on the woman's dress and the scalloped golden edge of the balcony. The palette relies on saturated reds, oranges, and greens, balanced by cooler blues and yellows in the background, characteristic of Safavid‑period manuscript illumination.
History & Provenance
The illustration originates from a Persian manuscript of the *Tuti‑nama*, a popular literary work circulated in the early modern Islamic world. While the precise date and patron are not recorded, the style aligns with manuscript production in Iran during the 16th–17th centuries. The painting now resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Context
The *Tuti‑nama* combines poetry and prose to convey moral and romantic tales, often accompanied by elaborate miniatures. Such illustrations served both decorative and didactic purposes, enhancing the narrative and reflecting the sophisticated artistic culture of Persian courts, where patronage of illuminated books was a mark of refinement.
Artist & collection
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