Artwork

Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), Eighth Night

Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), Eighth Night, unspecified, 1560
Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), Eighth Night, unspecified, 1560

Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), Eighth Night is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This painted page originates from the Tuti-nama manuscript, illustrating the "Eighth Night" of the tales.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created in 1560 in the Mughal Empire, it is classified as a landscape painting and was produced as part of a manuscript now held by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The painting depicts a garden landscape centered on a lotus pool, illustrating the eighth night of the Tuti‑nama (Tales of a Parrot). Created in 1560 in the Mughal Empire, it is classified as a landscape painting and was produced as part of a manuscript now held by the Cleveland Museum of Art. The composition exemplifies Mughal artistic conventions of the mid‑sixteenth century and reflects the narrative setting of that night. Its subject matter is a tranquil garden scene that frames the story’s progression.

Technique & Style

The work is a Mughal manuscript painting dated 1560 that portrays a lotus pool within a landscape composition. It is classified as a landscape painting and was produced in the Mughal Empire. The piece belongs to the Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot) series and is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is recorded with an inception date of 1560-01-01 as part of the Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot) series. The artist is identified as unknown.

History & Provenance

The painting is dated to 1560 and was created in the Mughal Empire as part of a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot) manuscript. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art collection in 1962, where it is registered under accession number 1962.279.59.a. Earlier ownership, commission details, or further provenance steps are not documented in the available sources.

The work titled Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), Eighth Night is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is housed in Cleveland, Ohio. Its creation is dated to 1560, placing it within the Mughal artistic tradition. The painting is classified as a landscape, reflecting the genre of the original manuscript.

No specific accession number or detailed exhibition record is documented in the available references, and thus such details are not included here.

Context

Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti‑nama (Tales of a Parrot), Eighth Night, is a 1560 Mughal miniature executed in the courtly milieu of the sixteenth‑century empire. The work belongs to the genre of landscape painting and was produced in present‑day India under Mughal patronage, as indicated by its provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its composition displays a naturalistic rendering of flora, reflecting the period’s interest in botanical detail within narrative illustration.

Scholars regard the piece as an exemplar of Mughal manuscript painting that blends narrative storytelling with observational landscape, marking a subtle shift toward individualized artistic expression in early modern South Asian art.

Overview

This painted page originates from the Tuti-nama manuscript, illustrating the "Eighth Night" of the tales. It presents a small landscape scene at the bottom, seamlessly integrated with extensive Arabic calligraphy. The artwork exemplifies the characteristics of illuminated manuscripts, combining narrative illustration with significant textual elements to convey its story.

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

Artist & collection

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), Eighth Night?

Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), Eighth Night is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), Eighth Night?

Landscape with a lotus pool, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), Eighth Night is associated with Mughal Painting.