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 1560 manuscript titled Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
The page is a beautiful example of ancient calligraphy and script, and it would be interesting to learn more about the artist who created it.
This painting is a page from "Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama)" created in 1560. The page features text written in an unknown script, with no images or illustrations visible. The text is written in black ink on a beige background, with a thin border around the edges of the page.
The text appears to be written in a flowing script, with some words and phrases underlined or highlighted in a darker ink. The page has a worn, aged look, with some discoloration and staining visible in the background. The page is a beautiful example of ancient calligraphy and script, and it would be interesting to learn more about the artist who created it.
History & Provenance
The text page from the Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama) is dated to circa 1560, aligning with the manuscript’s creation during the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556–1605). The work was produced in the Mughal Empire, reflecting the imperial atelier’s patronage of illustrated manuscripts in the mid-16th century. The Cleveland Museum of Art holds the page (accession no. 1962.279.290.a), where it is catalogued as part of their South Asian collection.
The Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama) is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it bears the accession number 1962.279.290.a. The work dates to circa 1560 and originates from the Mughal Empire. It is classified as a painting and forms a text page from the illustrated manuscript.
The accession number indicates its acquisition by the museum in 1962. The available sources do not document any exhibition history for this folio.
Overview
This object is a single leaf from the 1560 manuscript titled Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). The page consists solely of text rendered in black ink on a light‑colored, beige parchment. A narrow decorative border frames the margins, and the surface shows signs of age such as discoloration and staining.
Subject & Meaning
The page contains continuous prose written in an unidentified script; no illustrative imagery accompanies the text. Certain words and phrases are emphasized by darker ink or underlining, suggesting a hierarchy of importance within the narrative.
Technique & Style
The calligraphy is executed in a fluid, flowing hand, characteristic of mid‑16th‑century manuscript production. Ink application is uniform, while the thin border indicates a modest decorative treatment rather than elaborate illumination.
Context
Manuscript culture in the mid‑1500s often combined literary works with careful calligraphic presentation. Tales of a Parrot belongs to a tradition of narrative collections that circulated in manuscript form before the widespread adoption of printed 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
