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

This object is a single page from the illustrated manuscript known as Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). Executed on paper, the surface bears dense black ink calligraphy against a light ground, framed by a subtle red border. The page shows signs of age, with slight wear and a softened edge, indicating its historic nature.

The page contains Persian text rendered in verse, typical of the Tuti‑nama tradition, which recounts moral and didactic stories featuring a parrot narrator. The content reflects the literary genre of courtly poetry used to convey ethical lessons through allegorical animal characters.

The script is executed in Nastaʿlīq, a Persian calligraphic hand that balances fluid cursive lines with angular accents. Ink is applied in uniform, tightly spaced lines, while occasional words appear larger or bolder, creating visual emphasis within the composition. The faint red border frames the text without detracting from the calligraphy.

Tuti‑nama manuscripts were popular in Persian literary culture, often illustrated and circulated among elite patrons. The use of Nastaʿlīq reflects the aesthetic preferences of the period, when calligraphy was considered an art form equal to painting and poetry, and the manuscript would have been read aloud in courtly or scholarly settings.