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 page originates from the manuscript Tales of a Parrot, a narrative work created for Prince Salim.
About this work
History & Provenance
The work entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1962.
Created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire, this text page from the Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot) was produced by an artist whose specific identity remains unrecorded. The work entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1962.279.48.a. While the exact circumstances of its original commission are not detailed in available records, its dating to the mid-sixteenth century places it within the early period of Mughal manuscript production.
The page is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is part of the museum's collection. Its catalogue designation is 1962.279.48.a, as recorded in the Wikidata entry for the work. No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
This illuminated page originates from the manuscript Tales of a Parrot, a narrative work created for Prince Salim. Executed on light‑beige paper, the surface is densely covered with black ink forming an elegant, cursive script. Small decorative dots and occasional faint red accents punctuate the text, while a thin dark border frames the page.
Subject & Meaning
The manuscript presents a collection of stories centered on a parrot, a motif often employed in Persian literature to convey moral lessons and courtly entertainment. By addressing a princely audience, the text likely served both as a literary pastime and as a vehicle for reinforcing cultural values and royal ideals.
Technique & Style
The calligraphy displays a highly refined hand, with each letter meticulously shaped to flow into the next, creating a continuous visual rhythm. The use of black ink for the main script, interspersed with tiny decorative dots and subtle red highlights, adds visual interest without overwhelming the text. A narrow dark margin defines the page’s limits.
Context
Produced in the Persianate world, the Tales of a Parrot reflects the tradition of illustrated literary codices that combined poetic storytelling with sophisticated calligraphic art. Such works were typically created for elite patrons, illustrating the close relationship between literary culture and courtly patronage during the period.
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
