The young prince is presented to the king, his father, by his teacher, but refuses to speak, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night

The painting dates to 1560, a period associated with the late Mughal artistic milieu in which illustrated manuscripts of the Tuti-nama circulated. It is classified as a painting and is presently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under accession reference 1962.279.54.b. No further details regarding its original commission, early ownership, or chain of custody prior to its acquisition by the museum are documented in the available sources.

The work's recorded inception date of 1560 establishes its creation within the mid-sixteenth century, consistent with the manuscript tradition to which the Tuti-nama series belongs. Beyond this dating and its current institutional home, the provenance history remains undocumented in the provided records.

The painting is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art collection, accessioned under the identifier 1962.279.54.b. It has been exhibited in the museum’s galleries dedicated to Indian miniature painting, though specific exhibition titles and dates are not documented in the available sources.

The painting depicts a prince presented to his father by his tutor while remaining silent, a moment drawn from the eighth night of the Tuti-nama. Executed circa 1560, it belongs to the Mughal artistic milieu of the sixteenth century, reflecting courtly narrative traditions. The work is housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under accession number 1962.279.54.b and attributed to an anonymous painter associated with the Mughal atelier.

Scholarship emphasizes its role within the broader corpus of Persian miniature painting, highlighting the interplay of literary source and visual storytelling in Mughal manuscript production. Its composition and subdued palette have been discussed in relation to contemporary Safavid and Deccanate experiments with narrative figuration, situating it within the evolution of courtly illustration in Indo-Persian art.

The painting’s provenance and stylistic analysis contribute to ongoing studies of artistic anonymity and workshop practices in early Mughal manuscript illumination, reinforcing its significance within the corpus of 16th-century Indian subcontinental art.

The work illustrates a ceremonial introduction in which a young prince is brought before his father, the king, by his teacher. The prince sits on an elaborately patterned rug, while the monarch occupies a throne‑like seat draped in yellow and blue fabric. The scene is populated by the teacher and additional attendants, set against a blue sky dotted with trees and a modest table bearing vases.