1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
The Raja of Ujjain, who is traveling in the guise of a yogi, meets two brothers who ask him to equitably partition their father’s possession, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Forty-sixth Night is a 1560 unspecified by Unknown, a Mughal Painting work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A man in a leopard-print cape sits by a pool with two brothers. Four magic items—a cloak, blanket, shoes, and sword—lie between them. The man is a king in disguise, tricking the brothers out of their inheritance. This painting comes from a book of parrot tales made for Emperor Akbar’s court. The stories were meant to entertain and teach lessons. The bright colors and fine details show how skilled Mughal artists were at blending storytelling with art. To see more works like this, look up Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605).
The raja, wearing a leopard print cape around his shoulders, sits with the brothers at the edge of a pool. Four magical objects, a cloak, a blanket, shoes, and a sword, lie on the ground between them. Under the pretense of dividing the goods, the raja distracts the brothers and steals their inheritance.
Ducks, fish, a turtle, and a crocodile swim in the waters of the pool.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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