Artwork
The court jester meets a Zangi dancing with joy, and learns from him that the cause of his happiness is his assignation with a woman who is the jester’s own wife, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-second Night
The court jester meets a Zangi dancing with joy, and learns from him that the cause of his happiness is his assignation with a woman who is the jester’s own wife, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-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. This 16th-century Indian painting illustrates a scene from the Tuti-nama, a collection of tales about a parrot.
About this work
If you like this kind of storytelling art, look up Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605).
You see a man in green—probably a jester—standing frozen on a road. Beside him, a dark-skinned dancer in bright clothes twirls, arms raised. The dancer’s grin says he’s about to meet someone special.
This painting comes from a 16th-century Indian book of parrot tales. The jester just learned the dancer’s lover is his own wife. The story is funny and messy, like a soap opera. The artist made the dancer look a little wild, almost like a cartoon.
If you like this kind of storytelling art, look up Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605).
Overview
This 16th-century Indian painting illustrates a scene from the Tuti-nama, a collection of tales about a parrot. It depicts a jester encountering a dancing figure, Zangi, on a road.
Subject & Meaning
The scene shows the jester, dressed in green, reacting to Zangi's joyful dance. Zangi's happiness stems from an assignation with a woman, who is revealed to be the jester's wife, causing the jester distress.
Technique & Style
The artist portrayed Zangi with caricatured physical traits, minimal clothing, and an uncovered head, conveying a semi-wild character. The contrast between the jester's restraint and Zangi's energetic dance is visually striking.
Context
The painting is part of a manuscript from the court of Akbar, a Mughal Indian ruler who reigned from 1556 to 1605, known for its richly illustrated books.
Artist & collection
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