The king dreams of a lady, the personification of wealth, departing from him on account of his purchasing a bowl and a staff from a yogi, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-sixth Night

The work is part of the early Mughal painting tradition, produced in the mid-sixteenth century during the reign of Akbar when illustrated manuscripts such as the Tuti-nama were created for imperial patronage. The narrative scene depicting a king dreaming of a lady who abandons him after he acquires a bowl and staff from a yogi reflects contemporary moral and symbolic themes surrounding wealth and desire. The painting is attributed to an unknown artist associated with the Mughal court and is housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under the accession number 1962.279.239.b.

The work depicts a richly dressed man reclined on a bed, clutching a bowl, while a white elephant stands nearby. Above him, a woman dressed in blue and green leans on a balcony, fan in hand, her gesture suggesting departure. Red brick walls and a balcony railing painted with blue‑gold patterns frame the scene, and Arabic calligraphy borders the top and bottom edges.

Executed in vibrant pigments, the painting employs a flat decorative surface typical of Persian miniature traditions, with bold outlines and stylized figures. The use of contrasting reds, blues, and golds emphasizes the opulent setting, while the linear Arabic script integrates text and image in a unified visual narrative.