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 folio from the Persian manuscript Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
History & Provenance
The painting was displayed in the exhibition "Mughal Masterpieces: Paintings from the Cleveland Museum of Art" at the museum in 1998.
This text page from the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama) was created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire. The specific artist responsible for the work remains unknown. It was produced as part of the larger manuscript tradition commissioned during the Mughal period.
The page is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1962.279.76.b.
The work is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio. It was acquired by the museum in 1962 and is catalogued under inventory number 1962.279.76.b. The painting was displayed in the exhibition "Mughal Masterpieces: Paintings from the Cleveland Museum of Art" at the museum in 1998.
Overview
This object is a single folio from the Persian manuscript Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). The page is composed entirely of calligraphic text rendered in black ink, accented with occasional blue strokes, and enclosed by a narrow red margin. The paper exhibits signs of age, including slight wear and brown spotting along the lower edge.
Subject & Meaning
The manuscript narrates a series of moral and didactic stories, traditionally conveyed through the voice of a parrot. The dense arrangement of the script reflects the high value placed on calligraphy as both a literary and visual art form in Persian culture, where the elegance of the letters contributes to the work’s didactic purpose.
Technique & Style
The calligrapher employed a flowing black ink, likely using a reed pen, to produce tightly spaced, uniform letters. Blue pigment highlights specific passages or decorative elements, while a thin red border defines the text block. The paper, a handmade rag stock, shows the characteristic texture and slight discoloration typical of medieval Persian codices.
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