The deceitful wife ejects the procuress after blackening her face, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a woman in a red dress shoving another woman out the door while smearing black paint on her face. This tiny painting tells a secret story from a 16th-century Indian book of parrot tales. The wife isn’t really angry—she’s sending a hidden message to her lover. The artist added a pink brick wall to make the room feel deeper. If you like these clever little scenes, look up mughal india, court of akbar (reigned 1556–1605).
