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 illustrated page from the Persian manuscript known as Tuti‑nama (Tales of a Parrot).
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The page depicts a scene from the Tuti-nama, a 14th-century Persian collection of moral tales featuring a parrot as a central character. The text illustrates a specific narrative episode where the parrot offers counsel, reflecting themes of wisdom and moral instruction within the Mughal artistic tradition. This work originates from the Mughal Empire and is housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
It currently resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1962.
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. It currently resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1962.279.262.b. The specific circumstances of its original commission and the details of its ownership history prior to entering the Cleveland museum's holdings are not detailed in the available records.
Overview
This object is a single illustrated page from the Persian manuscript known as Tuti‑nama (Tales of a Parrot). The sheet measures roughly a standard folio and is composed of dense black calligraphy set within thin red and blue ornamental borders. The paper shows signs of age, with a yellowed margin and faint stains, indicating its historic origin.
Technique & Style
The calligrapher employed nastaʿlīq, characterized by its sweeping, wave‑like lines that curve and dip across the surface. The script is tightly arranged in neat rows, maximizing the use of space between the colored borders. The red and blue marginal bands provide a subtle visual framework without detracting from the dominant black ink.
Context
Tuti‑nama manuscripts were popular in early modern Persia, serving both as literary entertainment and as instructional material for the aristocracy. The use of nastaʿlīq reflects the period’s aesthetic preferences for refined, legible script in courtly commissions, while the colored borders echo contemporary decorative trends in manuscript illumination.
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
