Artwork
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The object is a single illustrated page from the Persian narrative work known as the Tales of a Parrot, or Tuti‑nama.
About this work
Technique & Style
The medium is opaque watercolor, gold leaf, and ink, applied in a meticulous, fine-brushed technique characteristic of sixteenth-century imperial ateliers.
This folio from the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama) is executed on paper, the standard support for Mughal manuscript illumination of the period. The medium is opaque watercolor, gold leaf, and ink, applied in a meticulous, fine-brushed technique characteristic of sixteenth-century imperial ateliers. Calligraphic text occupies the central field, arranged in horizontal lines of black nastaʿlīq script; the margins are ruled in red and gold, creating a balanced, geometric framework.
Stylistically, the page adheres to the refined, linear conventions of the Mughal court under Akbar. The handling is precise, with minimal tonal modeling and an emphasis on crisp outlines and flat color fields, reflecting the fusion of Persianate aesthetics with indigenous Indian sensibilities.
History & Provenance
This text page from the Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot) was created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire. While the specific artist remains unidentified, the work is classified as a painting originating from this period of Indian history. The manuscript page eventually entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is held under the accession number 1962.279.156.b. The museum's records indicate the object was acquired in 1962, establishing its modern provenance following its sixteenth-century production.
Overview
The object is a single illustrated page from the Persian narrative work known as the Tales of a Parrot, or Tuti‑nama. Executed as a painted manuscript page, it presents dense black calligraphic text arranged in tight rows across the surface. The page is bordered by a narrow red strip and rests on a warm, aged paper that shows subtle blue discolorations, indicating its antiquity.
Subject & Meaning
The text on the page forms part of a larger story that follows the adventures and moral lessons conveyed through the voice of a parrot. While the specific episode is not identified, the narrative tradition of the Tuti‑nama uses animal protagonists to explore ethical themes, making each page a fragment of a broader didactic tale.
Artist & collection
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
