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Shahr-Arai’s husband bends to kiss his wife who feigns sleep, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fortieth Night

Unknown

1560

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Mughal Painting Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

Shahr-Arai’s husband bends to kiss his wife who feigns sleep, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fortieth 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 leans over a woman lying in bed, kissing her cheek while she keeps her eyes closed. The room is small, filled with patterned fabrics and soft light. This scene comes from a story where the wife has just tricked her husband. She told him her lover was her long-lost brother, and now he believes her. The painting shows the moment he thanks her for being "loyal." The quiet tension makes it feel real, not just a tale. To see more work like this, look up *Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)*.

The story of this work

Overview

Shahr-Arai lies peacefully across the bed after meeting with her lover. She has successfully tricked her husband into believing that the young man is an adopted brother. The foolish and gullible husband kisses Shahr-Arai in gratitude for her perceived loyalty.