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

This text page from the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama) was created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire. The work is attributed to an unknown artist and functions as a painting classified as a manuscript page. It is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1962.279.144.a.

The specific commissioning details and the full chain of ownership prior to its acquisition by the museum are not detailed in the available records.

The text page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama) is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, accessioned under the identifier 1962.279.144.a. It was created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire and has not been documented in any exhibition history according to available records.

This object is a single leaf from the illustrated manuscript series known as the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama), produced around 1560. The page consists of black ink calligraphy set against a light, beige ground, the text rendered in an elegant, flowing hand with decorative flourishes that enhance its visual appeal. It is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The page contains narrative prose typical of the Tuti‑nama, a collection of moral and romantic stories conveyed through the voice of a parrot. The text, though not illustrated here, would have guided readers through allegorical episodes intended to entertain and instruct, reflecting the literary tastes of a courtly audience.

The Tuti‑nama belongs to a tradition of illustrated storybooks that flourished in the Islamic world, where text and ornamentation were closely integrated. Produced during a time of vibrant cultural exchange in Safavid Iran, the manuscript reflects the court’s investment in literary production and the aesthetic values of refined calligraphy.