Artwork
The tale of the three men trapped in a cave by a rolling boulder, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-second Night
The tale of the three men trapped in a cave by a rolling boulder, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-second Night is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work portrays three figures caught inside a cavern as a massive stone rolls toward the entrance, threatening to seal them inside.
About this work
Overview
The work portrays three figures caught inside a cavern as a massive stone rolls toward the entrance, threatening to seal them inside. The men wear vivid, patterned robes and display urgent gestures, one straining to push the boulder back. The surrounding landscape shows a rugged, mountainous setting punctuated by trees and shrubbery, framing the dramatic moment.
Subject & Meaning
Derived from the thirty‑second night of the Persian collection known as the Tuti‑nama, the scene illustrates a moral tale in which perseverance and cooperation are tested by sudden danger. The trapped travelers symbolize human vulnerability when confronted with forces beyond their control, while the act of attempting to move the stone suggests a hopeful resolve.
Technique & Style
Executed in a realistic manner, the painting emphasizes texture through careful rendering of rock surfaces and the intricate folds of the men’s garments. A strong chiaroscuro scheme deepens the interior space, casting shadows that enhance the sense of confinement and heightening the dramatic tension of the looming boulder.
Context
The Tuti‑nama, a 16th‑century illustrated manuscript of moral anecdotes, often paired narrative verses with visual depictions. This panel reflects the manuscript’s tradition of combining literary storytelling with detailed figural representation, serving both as a didactic illustration and as a record of contemporary costume and landscape motifs.
Artist & collection
The Brahman gambler sees the daughter of the king of the jinns in a pit together with an old man and a cauldron of boiling oil, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot: Seventh Night)
The dethroned frog Shapur seeks the help of the serpent, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenth-sixth Night
The snake enters into an argument with the frog, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-sixth Night
The Emir slays the snake after giving it shelter, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Forty-fifth Night
The prince and Nikfal are joined by Khalis and the Mukhlis who are the grateful snake and frog in human form, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighteenth Night
Tuti-Nama (Tales of a Parrot)