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 a painted work that presents a single page of handwritten script.
About this work
History & Provenance
While the broader manuscript was commissioned to illustrate the Tales of a Parrot, this specific surviving fragment is dated to the year 1560.
The Tuti-Nama, a painting created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire, represents a specific manuscript illumination from the mid-16th century. One known leaf from this series, cataloged as 1962.279.185.b, is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work is attributed to an unknown artist, reflecting the collaborative nature of Mughal workshop production during this period.
While the broader manuscript was commissioned to illustrate the Tales of a Parrot, this specific surviving fragment is dated to the year 1560.
The Tuti-Nama is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is recorded as inventory number 1962.279.185.b. The painting is attributed to an unknown artist and dated to 1560, consistent with its Mughal Empire origin.
No exhibition history is documented in the cited sources.
Overview
Tuti-Nama, translated as “Tales of a Parrot,” is a painted work that presents a single page of handwritten script. The composition centers on the page, which rests on a light‑beige ground and is framed by a thin red border that defines its edges.
Subject & Meaning
The focal element is an unidentified script rendered in black ink. Its cursive, flowing characters and ornamental flourishes at the beginning and end of the line suggest a literary or poetic text, though the language and content remain unknown.
Technique & Style
The artist employed ink on a painted surface, using a fine brush to achieve a smooth, continuous hand that links letters together. The red border was likely applied with a separate pigment, providing a visual contrast that highlights the central page and adds a decorative touch.
Context
The work’s emphasis on calligraphic elegance and the use of a bordered format echo traditions of manuscript illumination, where text and visual framing are combined to convey refinement.
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
