Artwork

Shahr-Arai and her lover dallying on a bed beneath which is concealed her husband, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fortieth Night

Shahr-Arai and her lover dallying on a bed beneath which is concealed her husband, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fortieth 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. This painting illustrates a scene from the Tuti-nama, a collection of tales told in the court of Akbar.

About this work

The artist turns a tense moment into something almost funny—the husband’s robe gives him away, and the wife is already spinning a lie to save the day.

You see a woman and her lover lounging on a bed while her husband hides underneath, his purple robe sticking out.

The story comes from a book of parrot tales told in Akbar’s court. The artist turns a tense moment into something almost funny—the husband’s robe gives him away, and the wife is already spinning a lie to save the day. The bright colors and flat shapes make the scene feel like a stage set.

Look up more paintings from Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605) to see how artists mixed storytelling with bold, clear images.

Overview

This painting illustrates a scene from the Tuti-nama, a collection of tales told in the court of Akbar. It depicts a wife and her lover on a bed, while her husband hides underneath.

Subject & Meaning

The scene shows a moment of tension and deception, as the husband's hidden presence is revealed by his purple robe. The wife's quick thinking allows her to devise a plan to protect her lover.

Technique & Style

The artist's use of bright colors and flat shapes creates a sense of a staged scene, lending a touch of humor to the otherwise tense situation.

Context

The painting is part of a manuscript produced in the court of Akbar, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Artists in this period combined storytelling with bold, clear imagery.