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 work is a painted representation of a book page, showing a block of black script set against a light brown surface.
About this work
History & Provenance
The manuscript page was likely commissioned by a patron of the Mughal court, though specific patronage records are absent from the source material.
The folio originates from a Mughal manuscript produced circa 1560 in the imperial atelier of the Mughal Empire. It entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued as object 1962.279.106.b and attributed to an unknown artist working within the Tuti-nama tradition. The work remained in the museum’s custody from its acquisition through the present day, preserving its status as a representative example of 16th‑century Persianate book art.
The manuscript page was likely commissioned by a patron of the Mughal court, though specific patronage records are absent from the source material. Its creation reflects the synthesis of Persian narrative illustration and local Indian stylistic conventions characteristic of the mid‑century imperial workshop.
The folio’s dating aligns with the documented inception of the manuscript in 1560, as recorded in museum records and corroborated by scholarly assessments of Mughal book production.
The work is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, with accession number 1962.279.106.b. It was created in 1560 in the Mughal Empire and has been part of the museum’s collection since its acquisition. No exhibition history is documented in the sources.
Overview
The work is a painted representation of a book page, showing a block of black script set against a light brown surface. Thin dividing lines separate the text into sections, while a decorative frame encloses the page, consisting of a narrow red band inside a broader gold border. The background includes subtle darker brown spots and stains, suggesting an aged material.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a textual page, likely extracted from a manuscript titled Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). The foreign language text and its organized layout indicate a narrative or instructional purpose, while the ornamental border underscores the cultural value placed on the written word within the manuscript tradition.
Technique & Style
Executed with pigment on a flat support, the artist rendered the script in matte black ink, contrasting with the warm, earthy ground. The border combines a thin vermilion line and a wider gilded edge, reflecting the decorative conventions of the period’s manuscript illumination. The presence of natural discolorations suggests an intentional simulation of aged paper.
Context
During the era of its creation, book illustration merged literary and visual arts, with elaborate borders signifying the prestige of the text. The use of gold and red in the frame aligns with contemporary aesthetic preferences for luxury and ceremonial presentation in manuscript culture.
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
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