Artwork
Tuti-Nama (Tales of a Parrot)
Tuti-Nama (Tales of a Parrot) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Tuti‑Nama, translated as “Tales of a Parrot,” is an illustrated manuscript page held by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
The manuscript known as the Tuti-Nama (Tales of a Parrot), created around 1560 in the Mughal Empire, is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
The Tuti‑Nama (Tales of a Parrot) is a Mughal painting dated to 1560, produced in the Mughal Empire by an unknown artist. The work is classified as a painting and bears the Cleveland Museum of Art accession number 1962.279.94.b, indicating its current location in that institution. Its inception is recorded as 1 January 1560, reflecting the dating assigned to the manuscript’s illustrations.
No further details about its original commission, early ownership, or subsequent provenance are provided in the available sources.
The manuscript known as the Tuti-Nama (Tales of a Parrot), created around 1560 in the Mughal Empire, is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Specific folios from this work, such as the one cataloged under accession number 1962.279.94.b, are attributed to unknown artists within the museum's holdings. The institution lists the inception of these paintings as January 1, 1560, reflecting the broader dating of the manuscript's production during the mid-sixteenth century.
No specific exhibition history for this particular folio or the complete manuscript is detailed in the available records, though its location remains fixed within the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio.
Context
The miniature appears in Cleveland Museum of Art's collection as a 1560 Mughal painting titled Tuti-Nama (Tales of a Parrot). Scholarship situates it within the broader tradition of Mughal book arts, reflecting the patronage of Emperor Akbar's era when illustrated manuscript production flourished. The work's style demonstrates the synthesis of Persian miniature techniques with Indian sensibilities characteristic of late 16th-century manuscript painting.
Overview
Tuti‑Nama, translated as “Tales of a Parrot,” is an illustrated manuscript page held by the Cleveland Museum of Art. The surface resembles aged parchment, its brownish tones softened by time. Black ink fills the page in orderly rows, while thin gold lines border the margins and occasional words appear in blue or red, adding visual contrast.
Subject & Meaning
The text recounts stories centered on a parrot, a motif common in Persian and South Asian literature where talking birds often convey moral lessons or courtly wit. The narrative’s structure, divided into chapter‑like sections, suggests a collection of anecdotes intended for entertainment or didactic purposes, reflecting the cultural value placed on storytelling.
Technique & Style
Calligraphic script dominates the composition, each letter rendered with deliberate strokes; some characters are elongated or curled for ornamental effect. Gold leaf outlines the page’s edges, and modest decorative motifs punctuate the margins, providing a subtle visual rhythm. The occasional use of blue and red pigments highlights key passages, a technique typical of luxury manuscripts.
Artist & collection
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
