The parrot laughs on hearing the Raja of Ujjain’s wife admire her beauty in a mirror, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot: Forty-sixth Night

The work illustrates a narrative from the medieval Persian collection known as the Tuti‑nama, or "Tales of a Parrot." In the scene, a man in vivid orange robes sits on an elaborately carved platform, clutching a pink bowl, while a woman in a red garment stands beside him holding a child. A parrot, implied by the title, reacts to the woman’s admiration of her reflection in a mirror.

Rendered in bold pigments, rich reds, deep blues, and gold accents, the painting employs a decorative, miniature‑like style typical of Persian manuscript illustration. Intricate patterns adorn the interior space, and a stylised balcony with a tower can be seen through an open doorway, emphasizing a luxurious, courtly atmosphere.

The Tuti‑nama, a collection of moral anecdotes featuring a talking parrot, was widely copied across the Islamic world, influencing visual culture in Persia, India, and Ottoman territories. This illustration reflects the cross‑cultural exchange of literary motifs and artistic conventions during the medieval period.

Images from the Tuti‑nama continue to inform scholars of medieval Persian narrative art, illustrating how storytelling, moral instruction, and decorative painting were intertwined. The work remains a valuable example of the genre’s visual vocabulary and its transmission across regions.