Artwork
Salim and Salima return to Ayaz and Mahmuda in the sanctuary, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-third Night
Salim and Salima return to Ayaz and Mahmuda in the sanctuary, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-third Night is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This painting depicts a scene from the Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot) on the thirty-third night, showing Salim and Salima's return to Ayaz and Mahmuda in a serene garden sanctuary. The composition features four main figures amidst lush greenery, a distinctive tomb-like structure, and a border of Persian script.
Subject & Meaning
The scene illustrates a narrative moment from the Tuti-nama, focusing on the reunion of the two couples. The man pointing towards the unusual, pyramid-like tomb may indicate a pivotal moment of discovery or reflection, while the surprised expression of the other man suggests a narrative of revelation or unexpected news.
Technique & Style
Executed with bold colors (notably reds, greens, and golds), the painting showcases meticulous attention to patterned textiles in the characters' attire. The style is characteristic of Indian miniature painting traditions, with intricate details and a framed narrative space.
History & Provenance
Originating from a Tuti-nama manuscript, this painting's exact date and artist are not specified here, though its style suggests a piece from the Indian subcontinent's rich miniature painting heritage, possibly from the 16th to 18th centuries, a period of flourishing manuscript illustration.
Context
Part of a broader tradition of illustrating the Tuti-nama, a collection of stories known for their moral and entertaining value, this piece reflects the cultural significance of such narratives in Indian and Persianate societies, where manuscripts were valued for both their aesthetic and literary merit.
Legacy
Now part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection, this painting contributes to the institution's holdings of Indian miniature paintings, offering insights into the artistic and literary traditions of the Indian subcontinent for scholars and the public alike.
Artist & collection
Hearing her declaration of love, Ayaz falls at the feet of Mahmuda at the holy shrine. The scene is witnessed by Salim, Ayaz’s friend, and a maid, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-third Night
The two couples reach a foreign city where they make their home, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-third Night
The third suitor strikes the devotee’s daughter and thus restores her to life, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twentieth Night
The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the thirty-third night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The daughter-in-law returns from her misadventure, feigning insanity, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Sixteenth Night
The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the thirty-first night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
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
The merchant has the hateful skull ground and put into a box, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-third Night
Kaiwan sends a message of love to Khurshid, wife of his brother Utarid who is away on a journey, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-second Night
The king of the Ocean, having assumed human form, arrives at the court of the Raja, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eleventh Night
The king of Zabul sees Mahrusa from his palace balcony, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-sixth Night
The Raja’s son vows to sever his head and offer it to the image if he is united with the princess he has seen in the temple, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-fourth Night
Mahrusa’s marriage to the prefect of the city, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-sixth Night