Artwork
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
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 illuminated page belongs to the manuscript *Tales of a Parrot*, a narrative created for Prince Salim.
About this work
Overview
This illuminated page belongs to the manuscript *Tales of a Parrot*, a narrative created for Prince Salim. Executed as a painted sheet, the work features dense black ink script set against a light brown ground, bordered by a narrow red line that defines its edges. The paper shows subtle signs of aging, indicating its historical provenance.
Subject & Meaning
The text recounts episodes from the *Tales of a Parrot* collection, a literary work intended for princely entertainment and moral instruction. The careful, deliberate hand suggests the page was designed for slow, contemplative reading, perhaps as a personal gift to the young patron.
Technique & Style
The calligraphy combines flowing curves with acute angles, producing a rhythmic visual texture across the surface. Ink is applied in a uniform black tone, while a thin red border frames the composition, highlighting the page’s formal structure. The light brown substrate provides a muted backdrop that accentuates the ink work.
History & Provenance
The manuscript originates from a courtly context in which princes commissioned personalized literary productions. Though the exact workshop remains unidentified, the style aligns with Persian courtly manuscripts of the early modern period, and the paper’s patina confirms its age.
Context
*Tales of a Parrot* belongs to a tradition of didactic storytelling popular among elite audiences, where animal protagonists convey ethical lessons. The inclusion of such a text in a royal library reflects the educational and entertainment values prized by the Safavid and Mughal courts.
Artist & collection
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page