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. The object is a single sheet from the illustrated manuscript known as *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Overview
The object is a single sheet from the illustrated manuscript known as *Tales of a Parrot* (Tuti‑nama). It consists of a paper leaf bearing handwritten text rather than pictorial illustration, and is catalogued as a painted work due to its decorative treatment of the script and border.
Subject & Meaning
The page contains a continuous narrative written in a flowing black hand, suggesting it forms part of a larger story. The presence of a solitary line of text framed by a thin blue band at the top may indicate a heading, a verse, or a thematic marker within the tale.
Technique & Style
The script is executed in a precise, elegant calligraphy, with each line carefully spaced and aligned, reflecting a high level of scribal training. The paper exhibits a warm, aged patina with subtle brown tones, while the blue border is rendered in a thin pigment line that contrasts with the dark ink.
History & Provenance
The leaf is part of a manuscript tradition that circulated in the Persianate world, where *Tuti‑nama* stories were popular. The Cleveland Museum of Art holds this and related pages, indicating they were acquired as a group, likely from a private collection or dealer specializing in Islamic manuscripts.
Context
*Tuti‑nama* manuscripts combine moral instruction with entertainment, often featuring animal protagonists. The textual focus of this leaf reflects the literary emphasis of the work, complementing the more commonly illustrated sections that accompany the narrative.
Legacy
Pages such as this provide scholars with insight into the calligraphic conventions and material culture of manuscript production in the region. Their preservation in museum collections supports ongoing research into the transmission of Persian literary traditions.
Artist & collection








