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 object is a single leaf from the illustrated manuscript Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Subject & Meaning
This work is a text page from the Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), a Persian manuscript containing moral and didactic stories.
This work is a text page from the Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), a Persian manuscript containing moral and didactic stories. Created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire, the page functions as a literary component of the narrative cycle rather than a standalone pictorial depiction of a specific scene. As a text page, its primary meaning lies in its role as a vehicle for the parrot's tales, which were traditionally used to instruct a queen on fidelity and conduct.
The object represents the Mughal court's early engagement with Persian literary traditions and the production of luxury manuscripts during the mid-sixteenth century.
History & Provenance
The text page from the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama) is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The institution identifies the work with the accession number 1962.279.107.a. Created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire, the piece is classified as a painting by an unknown artist.
The provided records confirm its location at the museum but do not list specific past exhibitions or additional provenance details beyond its current holding.
Overview
This object is a single leaf from the illustrated manuscript Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). The page measures roughly the size of a hand‑held folio and is composed of aged paper that shows signs of wear and faint staining along its lower edge.
Technique & Style
The page is covered in flowing black calligraphy, bounded by a narrow red margin that frames the text. Select lines appear in a subtle blue ink, providing visual contrast. The script is executed with a fine brush, displaying the meticulous hand of a professional scribe and the ornamental qualities of Persian manuscript illumination.
Context
Tales of a Parrot belongs to a tradition of didactic literature in which a talking bird conveys moral lessons. Such works were popular among elite patrons in the Islamic world, serving both educational and entertainment purposes within royal libraries.
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