Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page

This object is a painted page from the illustrated manuscript known as the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). Executed by the Mughal artist Basawan around 1560, the work now belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The page presents a single sheet of text rendered in ink and pigment on a light‑colored paper support.

Basawan employed a fine black ink to compose the calligraphic text, which is richly embellished with curvilinear flourishes, swirls and decorative dots. Accents of red and blue pigment frame the margins, adding visual contrast. The paper has acquired a warm, yellowed patina, indicating extensive handling, while the brushwork suggests a skilled hand using a pointed pen or brush.

During the reign of Emperor Akbar, Mughal workshops produced lavishly illustrated manuscripts that combined Persian literary traditions with Indian artistic sensibilities. Basawan, a leading painter of the imperial atelier, contributed to this cultural synthesis, and the Tuti‑nama exemplifies the period’s emphasis on moral instruction through richly decorated textual pages.