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The young prince is crowned and the wicked handmaiden is executed, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night

Suraju

1560

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Mughal Painting Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

The young prince is crowned and the wicked handmaiden is executed, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night is a 1560 unspecified by Suraju, a Mughal Painting work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Suraju
When & what style?: 1560 · Mughal Painting
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a prince being crowned on a throne while musicians play. Below him, a handmaiden is executed, and an old king leaves with a walking stick and prayer beads. This painting wraps up a story told by a parrot over eight nights. Look closely—you can spot older brushstrokes peeking out from under the new paint. Artists often reused paper to save time and materials. If you like this mix of storytelling and royal drama, look up Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605).

The story of this work

Overview

In the concluding illustration to the parrot's story on the eighth night, the prince is enthroned at the top of the composition to the accompaniment of musical fanfare. His father the king, in blue at the lower right, heads off to retirement in the forest, as was customary, with his walking stick and prayer beads. The ends of garments visible below the picture plane reveal that another earlier composition was painted over—a common practice throughout the Tales of a Parrot in which new recruits to the atelier were experimenting with a new style.