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 sheet from the illustrated manuscript known as Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Technique & Style
Its stylistic features include delicate line work and flattened spatial composition typical of 16th-century Persianate book arts.
The page is a painted text sheet on paper, created using pigment on paper support. It originates from the Mughal Empire dating to 1560 and exhibits the formal qualities of a text page from a Tuti-nama manuscript, reflecting courtly illustration conventions. The work is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art collection, cataloged as 1962.279.34.a, and remains preserved in its archival context. Its stylistic features include delicate line work and flattened spatial composition typical of 16th-century Persianate book arts.
History & Provenance
Created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire, this text page from the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama) was produced by an unknown artist. The work is classified as a painting and represents a specific segment of the larger manuscript tradition. Its history of ownership leads to the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it entered the collection in 1962 under the accession number 1962.279.34.a.
The specific commission details and the chain of custody prior to its arrival at the museum are not detailed in the available records.
The text page from the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama) is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The institution assigns the work the accession number 1962.279.34.a. Created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire, this painting is attributed to an unknown artist.
The provided sources confirm its location and inventory details but do not contain information regarding specific exhibitions in which the page has been displayed.
Overview
The object is a single sheet from the illustrated manuscript known as Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). It consists of a paper leaf bearing handwritten text rather than pictorial illustration, and is catalogued as a painted work due to its decorative treatment of the script and border.
Subject & Meaning
The page contains a continuous narrative written in a flowing black hand, suggesting it forms part of a larger story. The presence of a solitary line of text framed by a thin blue band at the top may indicate a heading, a verse, or a thematic marker within the tale.
Context
Tuti‑nama manuscripts combine moral instruction with entertainment, often featuring animal protagonists. The textual focus of this leaf reflects the literary emphasis of the work, complementing the more commonly illustrated sections that accompany the narrative.
Legacy
Pages such as this provide scholars with insight into the calligraphic conventions and material culture of manuscript production in the region. Their preservation in museum collections supports ongoing research into the transmission of Persian literary traditions.
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