Artwork
The creatures of the sea are asked by the king of the Ocean to take a message to the Brahman, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eleventh Night
The creatures of the sea are asked by the king of the Ocean to take a message to the Brahman, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eleventh Night 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 the eleventh night of the Persian collection known as the Tuti‑nama, or Tales of a Parrot.
About this work
Overview
The work is a painted illustration taken from the eleventh night of the Persian collection known as the Tuti‑nama, or Tales of a Parrot. It depicts an underwater tableau in which a variety of marine beings, both recognizable and fantastical, are gathered around a central scene of communication.
Subject & Meaning
According to the accompanying title, the sea’s creatures have been summoned by the Ocean’s king to convey a message to the Brahman. The presence of a crowned fish suggests a sovereign figure, while a human‑faced fish and a perched parrot act as messengers, underscoring themes of dialogue between the natural and the divine.
Technique & Style
The composition is rendered in dark, fluid tones that suggest depth, with swirling lines and numerous small bubbles creating a sense of movement. The figures are outlined with fine brushwork, and the surrounding Arabic‑style script is set in orderly black columns, contrasting with the chaotic marine background.
History & Provenance
The illustration originates from a manuscript tradition of the Tuti‑nama, a literary work that circulated in Persianate cultures. The specific sheet has entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed alongside other examples of manuscript illumination.
Context
The Tuti‑nama blends moral instruction with imaginative storytelling, often employing animal protagonists to explore ethical dilemmas. This particular scene reflects the broader medieval fascination with allegorical voyages and the exchange of knowledge across cultural and spiritual realms.
Artist & collection
The Brahman’s predicament is conveyed by the wind to the fish who carries the news to the king of the Ocean, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eleventh Night
The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Eleventh Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the thirty-third night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the thirty-first 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 dethroned frog Shapur seeks the help of the serpent, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenth-sixth Night
The tale of the three men trapped in a cave by a rolling boulder, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-second Night
The prince and Nikfal are joined by Khalis and the Mukhlis who are the grateful snake and frog in human form, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighteenth Night
The snake enters into an argument with the frog, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-sixth Night