The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the fifty-first night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifty-first Night
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
A woman in a pink robe sits on a carpet, listening to a green parrot perched on a stand. Behind them, a servant holds a lantern as night falls. This painting comes from a book of stories told over 52 nights. The parrot keeps the woman from sneaking out by spinning tales—like a feathered Scheherazade. The tiny details—embroidered slippers, a jeweled birdcage—show the luxury of Emperor Akbar’s court. To see more art from this world, look up *Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)*.