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 painted page from the Persian manuscript known as the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Overview
The object is a painted page from the Persian manuscript known as the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). It consists of a single sheet with a beige ground, a narrow red and gold ornamental border, and black calligraphic text rendered in an elegant cursive hand. Certain words are emphasized with gold highlighting, indicating a special status within the passage.
Subject & Meaning
The page contains a segment of narrative or poetic prose, though the specific language remains unidentified. The selective use of gold to underline or accentuate portions of the text suggests that the highlighted lines may hold particular moral, religious, or literary significance within the larger story.
Technique & Style
The work employs watercolor or gouache on paper, typical of Persian miniature illumination. The border’s thin red and gold filigree reflects conventional decorative motifs, while the black ink is applied in a flowing, cursive script that demonstrates the calligrapher’s skill in line variation and rhythm.
History & Provenance
The painted page is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its acquisition details are not specified, but it joins the museum’s holdings of Islamic manuscript fragments, representing the broader tradition of illustrated literary works from the Persianate world.
Context
Tuti‑nama, or Tales of a Parrot, is a medieval Persian collection of fables and moral anecdotes that circulated widely across the Islamic world. Individual illuminated pages such as this one were often produced for private patrons, serving both as decorative objects and as carriers of didactic content.
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
Tuti-Nama (Tales of a Parrot)
Tuti-Nama (Tales of a Parrot)
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
