Artwork
The dethroned frog Shapur seeks the help of the serpent, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenth-sixth Night
The dethroned frog Shapur seeks the help of the serpent, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenth-sixth Night is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work depicts a moment from the twenty‑sixth night of the Persian Tuti‑nama, a collection of fables narrated by a parrot.
About this work
Technique & Style
Formal analysis emphasizes the restrained palette of ochre, lapis and vermilion alongside precise contouring that defines figures against gold-leaf backgrounds.
The miniature was created using tempera and ink pigments on a paper support typical of Mughal manuscript production in the mid-16th century. Brushwork demonstrates fine line control and subtle gradations of shading characteristic of Safavid-influenced Persianate styles transmitted to the Indian subcontinent. The composition employs flattened spatial logic and decorative patterning while maintaining narrative clarity through hierarchical figure placement and symbolic color fields.
Condition assessments at the Cleveland Museum of Art note minor surface abrasions along fold lines but overall pigment integrity remains stable. Formal analysis emphasizes the restrained palette of ochre, lapis and vermilion alongside precise contouring that defines figures against gold-leaf backgrounds.
The work belongs to the broader tradition of Persian miniature painting adapted within Mughal court ateliers during the reign of Akbar when Persian artistic conventions merged with local Indian sensibilities. The flattened perspective and emphasis on ornamental detail reflect stylistic priorities of the period rather than naturalistic representation. The Cleveland Museum of Art holds this piece in its South Asian art collection acquired through bequest and ongoing conservation efforts.
History & Provenance
The painting depicting the dethroned frog Shapur seeking the serpent's aid originates from the Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), specifically the Twentieth-sixth Night folio. It was created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire and is attributed to an unknown artist. The work entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on view as part of their Indian miniature holdings.
The painting titled "The dethroned frog Shapur seeks the help of the serpent" from the Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twelfth-sixth Night is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. It was created in 1560 in the Mughal Empire. The work is catalogued under the accession number 1962.279.182.a.
Overview
The work depicts a moment from the twenty‑sixth night of the Persian Tuti‑nama, a collection of fables narrated by a parrot. A serpent emerges from a large stone, its head turned toward a frog perched on a smaller rock, while foliage frames the scene against a pale green backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The tableau illustrates the frog’s appeal to the snake for assistance after having been dethroned, a motif that underscores themes of power reversal and the negotiation of authority within the moral tales of the Tuti‑nama.
Artist & collection
- The dethroned frog Shapur seeks the help of the serpent, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenth-sixth Night
The snake enters into an argument with the frog, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-sixth Night
The snake enters into an argument with the frog, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-sixth Night
Khalis repays the prince for his kindness by changing into a snake and sucking the poison from the king’s daughter, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighteenth Night
The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the thirty-seventh night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
The prince and Nikfal are joined by Khalis and the Mukhlis who are the grateful snake and frog in human form, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighteenth Night
The prince, a son of the ruler of Sistan, enters the service of a snake, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-seventh Night
The prince and Nikfal are joined by Khalis and the Mukhlis who are the grateful snake and frog in human form, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighteenth Night
The cat attacks the mice which disturb the lion, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifteenth Night
The monkey, serving as the lion’s chamberlain, converses with the lynx and its mate who have arrived with their cubs to settle in the lion’s domain, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-ninth Night
The sentinel in the employ of the Shah of Tabaristan prepares to sacrifice his son to the ghost of the Shah’s soul, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Second Night
The tale of the three men trapped in a cave by a rolling boulder, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-second Night