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Repenting his conduct, ‘Ubaid falls at the feet of his parents, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Forty-second Night

Unknown

1560

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Mughal Painting Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

Repenting his conduct, ‘Ubaid falls at the feet of his parents, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Forty-second Night is a 1560 unspecified by Unknown, a Mughal Painting work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1560 · Mughal Painting
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

A man kneels on a patterned carpet, arms outstretched toward two older figures who reach down to embrace him. Bright reds, greens, and golds fill the scene, with tiny details like embroidered robes and a parrot perched nearby. This painting comes from a book of parrot tales told to Emperor Akbar’s court. The story teaches a lesson: family comes first. The parrot isn’t just decoration—it’s the wise voice that sets the whole scene in motion. Look up Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605) to see more paintings like this.

The story of this work

Overview

‘Ubaid, who was so infatuated with his new wife that he neglected his duties, is embraced by his father, the merchant of Tirmiz, who happily welcomes his repentance. ‘Ubaid has learned a lesson about the importance of familial obedience from a wise, talking parrot and a myna bird.