The guard restores the son who falls at his mother’s feet, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fiftieth Night
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a richly dressed guard kneeling beside a young man who has collapsed at his mother’s feet, while a king and courtiers look on. This scene comes from a *Tuti-nama*, or "Tales of a Parrot," a book of stories Emperor Akbar loved. The guard secretly saved the prince’s life, and now the truth is out. The bright colors and crowded composition show how Mughal artists told stories—every figure has a role, every gesture matters. To see more paintings like this, look up Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605).
