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

The work illustrates a female figure positioned before a domed structure, her orange garment contrasting with a long skirt. She raises her right hand while clutching a dark object in her left. Above, a blue sky is traversed by birds, and the building’s balcony is defined by a railing, establishing a layered spatial composition.

The scene likely derives from a narrative episode in a Tuti‑nama, a collection of parrot tales, wherein the parrot addresses a character named Khujasta during the twenty‑sixth night. The woman’s gesture and the held object suggest an interaction central to the story’s dialogue.

Tuti‑nama illustrations traditionally blend Persian literary themes with regional visual motifs. The architectural elements, domed roof and balcony, reflect a cultural setting associated with the tale’s origin, situating the narrative within a recognizable domestic or ceremonial space.

As an example of narrative painting linked to literary manuscripts, the piece demonstrates how visual art was used to complement and interpret storytelling traditions, informing contemporary understandings of cross‑media expression in the region’s artistic heritage.