Artwork

The Raja’s son vows to sever his head and offer it to the image if he is united with the princess he has seen in the temple, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-fourth Night

The Raja’s son vows to sever his head and offer it to the image if he is united with the princess he has seen in the temple, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-fourth Night is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work depicts an intimate interior where three figures engage in a solemn exchange before a gilded frame that houses a seated deity.

About this work

Overview

A man in a vivid red garment gestures as if pledging a vow, while a second figure in a lighter robe holds a pot, and a child sits on the floor eating.

The work depicts an intimate interior where three figures engage in a solemn exchange before a gilded frame that houses a seated deity. A man in a vivid red garment gestures as if pledging a vow, while a second figure in a lighter robe holds a pot, and a child sits on the floor eating. Beyond a window, a cityscape of domed structures and foliage can be seen, situating the scene within a palace or temple setting.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure appears to be a prince who promises to decapitate himself and present his own head to the divine image if his desire to unite with a princess, seen earlier in a temple, is fulfilled. The presence of the child and the attendant with the pot suggests a domestic or ritual context, underscoring the gravity of the vow within a narrative drawn from the Tuti‑nama, a collection of Persian tales.

Technique & Style

Executed in miniature painting tradition, the composition employs fine brushwork and a limited palette dominated by reds, golds, and muted earth tones. The gilded frame and intricate detailing of the architectural backdrop reflect the lavish aesthetics of Persian court art, while the right‑to‑left script above the scene indicates the integration of calligraphic elements typical of manuscript illustration.

History & Provenance

The painting originates from a manuscript of the Tuti‑nama, specifically the thirty‑fourth night, a story of love and sacrifice. It was later detached from its folio and entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued as a representative example of Persian narrative painting from the early modern period.

Context

Narrative miniatures such as this were produced for elite patrons who commissioned illustrated books to convey moral and romantic stories. The depiction of a royal vow to a deity reflects the intertwining of courtly love and religious devotion characteristic of Persian literary culture during the Safavid era.

Artist & collection

Museum

Cleveland Museum of Art

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