Artwork
Lovers Parting, Page from a Book of Fables
Lovers Parting, Page from a Book of Fables is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1596 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The work, titled *Lovers Parting, Page from a Book of Fables*, depicts a rocky terrain under a pale sky. A man dressed in bright red and blue gestures toward a woman in a red dress who cradles an infant. A large green-scaled snake coils nearby, while two deer sprint in the distance, and a modest building rises on a hillside beyond trees.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a narrative scene drawn from a fable, suggesting themes of separation and protection. The contrasting colors of the figures and the serpent emphasize the emotional tension between the departing lover, the child, and the looming threat symbolized by the snake.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil on canvas, the painting employs a muted palette for the landscape, allowing the vivid reds of the clothing and the emerald tones of the snake to dominate the visual field. Fine brushwork delineates the texture of the rocky ground, while broader strokes suggest the movement of the distant deer.
History & Provenance
The piece is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed for public viewing. Its acquisition details and earlier ownership are not recorded in the provided information.
Artist & collection
Mukhtar throws his wife Maimuna into the pit, but she saves herself, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-fifth Night
Untitled
A woman with two children, having abandoned her home, goes into the forest where she encounters a leopard, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirtieth Night
A Woman Charms Snakes in the Wilderness: Asavari Ragini, from a Ragamala
Untitled
Lovers parting, page from a book of fables