The king of Bahilistan offers his daughter to the King of Kings, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventh Night
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a king kneeling before another king, offering his daughter in a bright red dress. Servants and guards stand around them in rich robes and turbans. A fancy door with geometric patterns fills the background. This painting comes from a book of parrot tales made for Emperor Akbar. The story is about cleverness and loyalty—one king even brought his own head as a gift. The artist mixed Indian and Central Asian styles, showing how cultures blended in Akbar’s court. To see more art like this, look up court of akbar (reigned 1556–1605).
