The fourth man digs at the spot where he dropped the shell, expecting jewels, but discovering mere iron, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Forty-seventh Night
Unknown Artist
c. 1560
Medium
gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions
20.3 × 14 cm · painting only: 9.6 × 10 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry
Accession Number
1962.279.302.b
About this artwork
Against a rocky landscape, a lone man raises a pickaxe. Previously, he and his four friends had received shells from a wise man, who claimed they would lead the men to their fortunes. Three of the friends discovered copper, silver, and gold. The fourth man, however, was dissatisfied with the discovery of iron, and his greed ultimately led to his downfall.