Artwork

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

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 is an unspecified painting by the Mughal Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The painting illustrates a scene from the thirty‑second night of the *Tuti‑nama*, a collection of parrot stories presented to Emperor Akbar.

About this work

The story here is about love, loyalty, and secrets—Kaiwan sends a love note to his brother’s wife, but she rejects him.

You see two men and a woman in a richly decorated room. One man kneels, handing a letter to the woman, who sits stiffly on a bed. The other man waits nervously in the corner.

This painting comes from a *Tuti-nama*, a book of parrot tales told to Emperor Akbar. The story here is about love, loyalty, and secrets—Kaiwan sends a love note to his brother’s wife, but she rejects him.

To see more art like this, look up Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605).

Overview

The painting illustrates a scene from the thirty‑second night of the *Tuti‑nama*, a collection of parrot stories presented to Emperor Akbar. In a lavishly appointed interior, a messenger delivers a love letter from Kaiwan to Khurshad, his brother Utarid’s wife, while Kaiwan watches anxiously from a corner.

Subject & Meaning

Khurshad, portrayed seated upright on a bed, receives the note with composure and rejects Kaiwan’s advances, reflecting her virtue and devotion. Kaiwan’s expression conveys nervous anticipation, and the messenger’s kneeling posture underscores the formality of the communication. The narrative explores themes of forbidden desire, loyalty, and the concealment of transgression.

Technique & Style

Rendered in the Mughal court style, the work combines detailed figural modeling with intricate decorative motifs on walls and furnishings. Fine brushwork delineates the characters’ garments and the sumptuous textiles, while a restrained palette highlights the interior’s richness without overwhelming the narrative focus.

History & Provenance

The composition originates from a manuscript of the *Tuti‑nama*, a literary project commissioned during Akbar’s reign (1556–1605). The illustrated page was likely produced in the imperial workshop, where artists adapted Persianate storytelling to the visual language of the Mughal court.

Context

The scene reflects the broader cultural milieu of Akbar’s empire, where courtly literature often intertwined moral instruction with entertainment. Parrot tales served as allegorical vehicles for exploring ethical dilemmas, and their illustrations provided a visual complement to the didactic content.