Artwork

The king of Bahilistan offers his daughter to the King of Kings, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventh Night

The king of Bahilistan offers his daughter to the King of Kings, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventh 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 parrot tales, created for Emperor Akbar.

About this work

The artist mixed Indian and Central Asian styles, showing how cultures blended in Akbar’s court.

You see a king kneeling before another king, offering his daughter in a bright red dress. Servants and guards stand around them in rich robes and turbans. A fancy door with geometric patterns fills the background.

This painting comes from a book of parrot tales made for Emperor Akbar. The story is about cleverness and loyalty—one king even brought his own head as a gift. The artist mixed Indian and Central Asian styles, showing how cultures blended in Akbar’s court.

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

Overview

This painting illustrates a scene from the Tuti-nama, a collection of parrot tales, created for Emperor Akbar. It depicts a king offering his daughter to another monarch.

Subject & Meaning

The scene shows a king kneeling before the 'King of Kings', offering his daughter, who wears Indian attire and touches his feet. The narrative revolves around themes of cleverness and loyalty, as exemplified by the king's gesture.

Technique & Style

The artist blended Indian and Central Asian styles, evident in the characters' clothing and the geometric patterns on the background door. The composition features a tilted floor, allowing the viewer to see the tile pattern directly, a characteristic of local Indian artistic practice.

History & Provenance

The painting was part of a manuscript made for Emperor Akbar, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar's court was a cultural melting pot, reflected in the artwork's mixed stylistic influences.