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

The work has been recognized as an influential example of Mughal painting, cited in scholarly studies of 16th-century Indian art for its narrative composition and use of color. Its inclusion in the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection has contributed to broader appreciation of the Tuti-nama manuscript tradition, reinforcing its reputation as a vivid illustration of Persianate storytelling within the Indian court aesthetic.

The work, titled The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Twenty‑second Night, from a Tuti‑nama (Tales of a Parrot), is a painted scene that shows two women positioned before a building under a clear blue sky. One figure wears an orange blouse with a patterned skirt, while the other is dressed in a pink top and a blue skirt. A birdcage appears on the left side, and the façade behind them is rendered in red and white with elaborate decorative motifs.

The composition draws from the Persian literary tradition of the Tuti‑nama, a collection of stories about a talking parrot. The two women likely represent characters involved in the narrative moment when the parrot begins to address Khujasta, a figure from the tale, suggesting a moment of dialogue and moral instruction within the story.

Executed in a flat, decorative manner, the painting employs bright, saturated colours and patterned surfaces that echo miniature manuscript aesthetics. The architectural details are stylised rather than realistic, and the figures are rendered with simplified outlines, emphasizing ornamental design over naturalistic representation.