Artwork

The deceitful wife persuades her husband to sleep in the same place where she had previously slept with her lover, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night

The deceitful wife persuades her husband to sleep in the same place where she had previously slept with her lover, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night is an unspecified painting by the Renaissance 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 by a parrot, created for a Mughal emperor.

About this work

You see a woman in a red dress talking to a man in a green robe by a garden pool, while a servant waits nearby.

You see a woman in a red dress talking to a man in a green robe by a garden pool, while a servant waits nearby.

This painting comes from a book of parrot tales told to a Mughal emperor. The woman is tricking her husband to cover up an affair. The artist used tiny gold dots and bright colors to show wealth and drama. We don’t know who painted it, but the style is very precise.

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

Overview

This painting illustrates a scene from the Tuti-nama, a collection of tales told by a parrot, created for a Mughal emperor. It depicts a deceitful wife convincing her husband to sleep in the same location where she had previously been with her lover.

Subject & Meaning

The scene shows a woman in a red dress persuading a man in a green robe, set by a garden pool with a servant waiting nearby. The narrative revolves around the wife's cleverness in avoiding detection of her adultery.

Technique & Style

The artist employed precise techniques, utilizing bright colors and tiny gold dots to convey wealth and drama, characteristic of the style associated with the court of Akbar, a Mughal emperor who reigned from 1556 to 1605.

History & Provenance

The painting is part of a manuscript, the Tuti-nama, created for a Mughal emperor, though the specific artist remains unknown. The style is reminiscent of works associated with Akbar's court.