The magician disguised as a Brahman returns to claim his “daughter-in-law,” from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-fifth Night

The work is a miniature illustration from a Tuti‑nama, a Persian manuscript of the “Tales of a Parrot.” It portrays a narrative episode titled “The magician disguised as a Brahman returns to claim his ‘daughter‑in‑law.’” The composition is set on a deep purple ground with a repeating geometric motif, typical of courtly book art.

Executed in fine ink and watercolor on paper, the illustration employs delicate line work and a limited palette of reds, blues, and gold highlights. The figures are rendered in profile with stylised gestures, and the background pattern creates a sense of spatial depth while maintaining the flat decorative quality characteristic of Persian miniature painting.

Tuti‑namas were often produced for elite patrons, serving both as entertainment and as moral instruction. The narrative of a magician posing as a Brahman reflects the cultural exchange between Persian and Indian motifs, illustrating how storytellers blended local religious figures with universal themes of trickery and justice.