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 single leaf from the illustrated manuscript *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Overview
This object is a single leaf from the illustrated manuscript *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama). The page measures roughly the size of a hand‑held folio and is composed of aged paper that shows signs of wear and faint staining along its lower edge.
Subject & Meaning
The manuscript was commissioned for a princely patron named Salim, suggesting a courtly audience for the narrative content. The dense, decorative script indicates that the text was intended to be read aloud or studied closely, reflecting the literary and moral themes typical of Persian parrot tales.
Technique & Style
The page is covered in flowing black calligraphy, bounded by a narrow red margin that frames the text. Select lines appear in a subtle blue ink, providing visual contrast. The script is executed with a fine brush, displaying the meticulous hand of a professional scribe and the ornamental qualities of Persian manuscript illumination.
History & Provenance
The folio originates from a larger codex produced in the early modern period for the Persian court. It later entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is preserved as part of the museum’s holdings of Islamic book arts.
Context
*Tales of a Parrot* belongs to a tradition of didactic literature in which a talking bird conveys moral lessons. Such works were popular among elite patrons in the Islamic world, serving both educational and entertainment purposes within royal libraries.
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