Artwork
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page (blank)
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page (blank) is an unspecified painting by the Renaissance artist Unknown. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This work is a painted representation of a page from the Persian manuscript known as the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Overview
This work is a painted representation of a page from the Persian manuscript known as the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). The image captures a single leaf that appears empty of narrative content, yet its decorative elements reveal the aesthetic concerns of its period.
Subject & Meaning
The page shows a smooth, flowing script rendered in light blue pigment across a white surface, suggesting a textual tradition that values clarity and elegance. The absence of visible text invites contemplation of the manuscript’s broader literary context rather than a specific story.
Technique & Style
A delicate red border frames the page, providing a subtle visual accent that balances the composition. The use of translucent blue ink and fine brushwork reflects the refined hand‑painting techniques associated with Renaissance manuscript illumination, emphasizing restraint and harmony.
History & Provenance
The image is a modern painting that reproduces a page from the Tuti‑nama, a work that circulated in the Persian literary world from the 14th century onward. Its creation aligns with a contemporary interest in reviving historic manuscript aesthetics.
Context
During the Renaissance, artists and scribes often merged textual and visual arts, producing illuminated pages that were both functional and decorative. This piece exemplifies that synthesis, highlighting the period’s reverence for calligraphic beauty and ornamental borders.
Artist & collection
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Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
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