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 object is a painted page from the Persian manuscript *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Overview
This object is a painted page from the Persian manuscript *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama). The surface is treated to resemble aged paper, its light beige tone suggesting a centuries‑old folio. Black ink fills the page in dense, orderly rows, while a thin red line runs along the margin, framing the text.
Subject & Meaning
The written narrative was composed for Prince Salim, a member of the Safavid court, and recounts moral and entertaining episodes involving a clever parrot. The text’s purpose was both literary and didactic, offering courtly entertainment while reinforcing cultural values through allegorical storytelling.
Technique & Style
The script is rendered in a careful, decorative Persian calligraphy, each letter adorned with subtle flourishes that enhance legibility and aesthetic appeal. Ink application varies slightly, producing a modest unevenness that conveys a hand‑crafted quality. The red border, applied in fine pigment, provides visual contrast and delineates the textual field.
History & Provenance
Created as part of a deluxe manuscript commissioned for Prince Salim, the page reflects the high artistic standards of Safavid Iran. Though its precise origin remains undocumented, the work entered a Western collection and is now held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of Persian literary art.
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