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The young man, who has magically taken on the appearance of Mansur the merchant, arrives at his home, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventeenth Night, by Unknown, unspecified, 1560

The young man, who has magically taken on the appearance of Mansur the merchant, arrives at his home, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventeenth Night

Unknown

1560

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

Overview

The young man, who has magically taken on the appearance of Mansur the merchant, arrives at his home, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventeenth Night is a 1560 unspecified by Unknown, a Mughal Painting work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?
Unknown
When & what style?
1560 · Mughal Painting
Where can I see it?
Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

A man in yellow robes stands at a doorway while servants bow and look worried. He’s not who he seems—he’s using magic to trick the household. This painting comes from a *Tuti-nama*, a book of parrot tales told in Mughal India. The story is wild: a young man turns into a merchant to sneak into another man’s home. The artist shows the moment right before the lie unravels—no horse, no luggage, just uneasy faces. Look up *mughal india, court of akbar (reigned 1556–1605)* to see more of these vivid, story-filled paintings.

The story of this work

Overview

After receiving a magical epithet from a monk, the lascivious young man transformed his appearance into that of Mansur, the merchant, in order to go to bed with Manur’s wife. The imposter, dressed in yellow at the right, is welcomed home by members of Mansur’s household. They are distressed that he has returned unexpectedly without his horse, assistants, or belongings.

Did you know?

The magical, wish-fulfilling epithet derives from the names of God.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

More by Unknown

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