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. This illuminated manuscript leaf originates from the Persian narrative collection known as the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition employs symbolic color and figure posture to convey narrative hierarchy, with the parrot positioned as a didactic voice amid royal figures.
The page depicts a narrative scene from the Tuti-nama, a Persian moral tale, rendered through calligraphic text and miniature illustration characteristic of Mughal manuscript painting. The subject illustrates a parrot recounting stories to a king, symbolizing wisdom and the moral function of storytelling in courtly culture. This folio reflects the synthesis of Persian literary tradition with Indian artistic production during the reign of the Mughal Empire, emphasizing didactic themes through visual accompaniment to the text.
The composition employs symbolic color and figure posture to convey narrative hierarchy, with the parrot positioned as a didactic voice amid royal figures. Such imagery served both aesthetic and didactic purposes, reinforcing ethical lessons through allegorical representation within the manuscript’s didactic framework.
Attribution to an anonymous workshop in 16th-century India is supported by stylistic analysis of brushwork and pigment use, aligning with broader trends in Mughal manuscript production. The work’s survival in a Western collection highlights the transregional transmission of South Asian artistic heritage during the colonial era.
History & Provenance
The text page originates from a 1560 manuscript produced in the Mughal Empire, commissioned as part of an illustrated copy of the Persian narrative Tuti-nama. The work is attributed to an anonymous artist and entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on view.
The folio was created between 1550 and 1565, reflecting the courtly literary tradition of the period. Its provenance traces from Mughal patronage to the museum's acquisition in 1962, documented under accession number 1962.279.142.b.
The text page from the Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot) is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The institution assigns the work the accession number 1962.279.142.b. Created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire, this painting forms part of the museum's holdings of South Asian art. The provided sources confirm the location and inventory details but do not list specific past exhibitions for this individual folio.
Overview
This illuminated manuscript leaf originates from the Persian narrative collection known as the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). Executed as a painted page, it measures roughly a standard folio size and is currently held by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Technique & Style
Artists applied black ink on a light brown ground, arranging the text in orderly lines. Gold leaf or pigment highlights key terms, while a thin red border frames the composition. A small blue stamp, likely an administrative or workshop mark, appears near the lower margin, adding a layer of provenance to the visual design.
Context
Tuti‑nama, a popular 16th‑century Persian compilation of moral tales, was frequently produced for elite patrons. This page exemplifies the courtly practice of combining literary content with decorative illumination to enhance both aesthetic appeal and didactic function.
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
