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 known as *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Overview
This object is a painted page from the Persian manuscript known as *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama). The entire surface is occupied by a continuous block of text rendered in a flowing, decorative script. The page measures roughly the size of a typical folio and shows signs of age, including yellowing and surface staining, indicating long use and storage.
Subject & Meaning
The page contains narrative prose in a foreign script, likely Persian, that forms part of the larger moral and romantic tale of the *Tuti‑nama*. The extensive text suggests the page was intended for reading rather than illustration, serving as a vehicle for the story’s didactic and entertainment functions within the courtly culture that produced it.
Technique & Style
Ink in deep black fills the cursive letters, while the background is a light‑brown ground that has darkened with time. Thin red and blue lines frame the margins, adding a modest decorative touch. The hand of the calligrapher is evident in the elegant flourishes and tight spacing, characteristic of high‑court Persian manuscript production.
History & Provenance
Created for Prince Salim, a royal patron of the Safavid era, the page later entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its provenance traces from the original court commission through various private holdings before acquisition by the museum, where it now serves as a representative 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
