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The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Twentieth Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)

Unknown

1560

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Mughal Painting Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Twentieth Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot) 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 woman in a green robe stands outside a room, holding a book. A parrot perches on a stand beside her, beak open as if talking. Inside, a low table holds red water jugs, a golden ewer, and a dish with betel leaves. This painting comes from a book of parrot tales told over 52 nights. The parrot distracts Khujasta, a wife waiting for her husband, by spinning stories—like this one about a devout woman who refused marriage. The tiny details—stacked jugs, the glint of gold—show how Mughal artists made everyday life feel rich and alive. To see more of these intricate miniatures, look up Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605).

The story of this work

Overview

Tuti the parrot begins telling Khujasta a story about the daughter of a pious man who turned down three suitors, so she could follow religious pursuits. She stands outside her bed chamber, where a low table has stacked red water jugs, and a dish with ingredients to make paan. The golden ewer and basin are for handwashing.