The king plucks fruit from the Tree of Life with his own hands and feeds it to a lady, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Ninth Night
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
A king in a golden robe reaches up to pick fruit from a glowing tree. He hands it to a lady in a red dress while a parrot watches from a cage. The court gathers around, some kneeling, others standing in bright clothes. This painting comes from a book of parrot tales told to delay a queen’s secret meeting. The fruit here isn’t just food—it’s magic, meant to prove the parrot’s honesty and save his life. The king tests it first, showing trust in the bird’s warning. Look up *mughal india, court of akbar (reigned 1556–1605)* to see more of these rich, detailed scenes.
