King Bahram, who has married Khassa’s daughter, has her tied to a camel to be abandoned in the desert as a result of false accusations made by Khulasa, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifty-first Night
Unknown Artist
c. 1560
Medium
gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions
20.3 × 14 cm · painting only: 7.4 × 10.3 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry
Accession Number
1962.279.328.a
About this artwork
The king, seated on a long-legged throne, furiously orders his wife’s execution. Khulasa, the king’s vizier, has attempted and failed to seduce her. Spurned by the queen’s rejection, he accuses her of committing adultery with another member of the court. At the center of the scene, a minister implores the king to abandon his wife, rather than have her beheaded.