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
The scene functions as a visual allegory for didactic storytelling within Mughal court culture, emphasizing the transmission of wisdom through animal speech.
The miniature illustrates a narrative moment from the Tuti-nama, depicting a parrot recounting moral tales to its listeners. The scene functions as a visual allegory for didactic storytelling within Mughal court culture, emphasizing the transmission of wisdom through animal speech. Symbolic elements include the bird's attentive posture and the surrounding text, which together convey didactic intent rather than literal portraiture.
The work originates from the Mughal imperial atelier and reflects the cosmopolitan artistic milieu of 16th-century India, where Persianate literary traditions were adapted into miniature painting. Its presence in the Cleveland Museum of Art underscores continued scholarly interest in cross-cultural narrative forms.
History & Provenance
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 is classified as a painting. It is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1962.279.189.b. The specific commission details and the full chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are not detailed in the provided records.
The Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama) is held in the Cleveland Museum of Art under accession number 1962.279.189.b. The work, a text page dated to 1560 and classified as a painting, is part of the museum's collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art is situated in Cleveland, Ohio. The museum maintains a collection of South Asian manuscripts. The provided sources do not record any exhibition history for this folio.
Context
The miniature page originates from a 1560 manuscript produced in the Mughal Empire, reflecting the cosmopolitan artistic milieu of imperial manuscript production. It belongs to the Cleveland Museum of Art collection (Cleveland Museum of Art, accession 1962.279.189.b) and exemplifies Pahari workshop techniques adapted within Mughal artistic networks, situating it within broader transregional manuscript traditions of the period.
Overview
This object is a single leaf from the illustrated manuscript Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). Executed on light‑brown paper, the page is filled with black ink calligraphy arranged in orderly, flowing lines. A narrow red border outlines the sheet, and some areas show signs of fading or smudging, indicating age and handling.
Technique & Style
The calligraphic text is rendered in a fine black ink using a reed pen, characteristic of Persian‑influenced scripts of the period. The uniform, curvilinear strokes reflect a disciplined hand, while the thin red line framing the page serves both decorative and protective functions, a common feature in high‑status books.
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