Artwork
Tuti-Nama (Tales of a Parrot): Tale XIII
Tuti-Nama (Tales of a Parrot): Tale XIII is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Tuti‑Nama (Tales of a Parrot), Tale XIII, is a single folio from a Persian illustrated manuscript.
About this work
History & Provenance
While the piece is attributed to an unknown artist, its presence in the Cleveland institution is well-documented through these cataloging details.
The painting known as Tuti-Nama: Tale XIII was created in 1560 within the Mughal Empire. It is attributed to an unknown artist and forms part of the larger Tuti-Nama manuscript tradition. The work is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1962.279.105.b. Specific details regarding the original commissioning patron or the precise chain of ownership leading to its acquisition by the Cleveland museum are not provided in the available records.
The painting known as Tale XIII from the Tuti-Nama series is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. It was created around 1560 within the Mughal Empire. The work is identified within the museum's records by the accession number 1962.279.105.b. While the piece is attributed to an unknown artist, its presence in the Cleveland institution is well-documented through these cataloging details. No specific exhibition history for this individual folio is provided in the available records.
Overview
Tuti‑Nama (Tales of a Parrot), Tale XIII, is a single folio from a Persian illustrated manuscript. The page consists of continuous black ink calligraphy set against a light‑coloured paper, bordered by a thin red line. A solitary blue horizontal stroke bisects the composition, marking a pause in the narrative flow.
Technique & Style
The text is rendered in nastaʿlīq, the flowing cursive script typical of Persian literary works. Lines run horizontally from left to right and are arranged in a straightforward, top‑to‑bottom sequence, facilitating easy reading. The red border frames the calligraphic block, while the blue line provides a visual interruption that may correspond to a narrative break.
Context
Tuti‑Nama is a collection of moral tales featuring a parrot, compiled in the Persian literary tradition. This particular page is one of several preserved at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which houses a broader selection of the manuscript, allowing scholars to study the work’s narrative structure and artistic conventions within its original cultural setting.
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