Artwork
The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Nineteenth Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Nineteenth 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 depicts an interior scene populated by two elegantly dressed figures amid a richly patterned setting.
About this work
Overview
A man in red and white garments holds a fan, while a woman in green and gold leans against a blue‑and‑gold screen.
The work depicts an interior scene populated by two elegantly dressed figures amid a richly patterned setting. A man in red and white garments holds a fan, while a woman in green and gold leans against a blue‑and‑gold screen. A red cage containing a parrot is positioned behind the male figure, and the walls are painted pink and adorned with assorted objects such as vases and a teapot. Gold Arabic calligraphy frames the composition along the upper and lower borders.
Subject & Meaning
The composition illustrates a moment from the Persian narrative collection known as the *Tuti‑nama* (Tales of a Parrot), in which a talking parrot delivers a message to the character Khujasta. The presence of the caged bird and the attentive posture of the figures suggest a scene of communication or counsel, reflecting the literary theme of the parrot as a messenger.
Technique & Style
Executed in vivid pigments, the painting employs a decorative palette of reds, greens, golds, and blues, characteristic of Persian miniature aesthetics. Intricate surface patterning and the inclusion of gold script emphasize ornamental richness, while the careful rendering of textiles and objects demonstrates a meticulous attention to detail typical of courtly manuscript illustration.
History & Provenance
The image originates from a manuscript of the *Tuti‑nama*, a popular literary work circulated in Persianate courts during the early modern period. The painting now forms part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of narrative miniature painting.
Context
Narrative miniatures such as this were traditionally used to illustrate literary texts, providing visual accompaniment to stories that blended moral instruction with entertainment. The *Tuti‑nama* itself belongs to a genre of didactic tales featuring a wise parrot, a motif that appears across Persian, Ottoman, and South Asian artistic traditions.
Artist & collection
The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Twenty-sixth Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Thirteenth Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Twenty-fifth Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Twenty-Fourth 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)
The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Twenty-ninth Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the thirty-fourth night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Seventh Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the forty-third night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Twenty-second Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)