The monkey, serving as the lion’s chamberlain, converses with the lynx and its mate who have arrived with their cubs to settle in the lion’s domain, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-ninth Night
Unknown Artist
c. 1560
Medium
gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions
20 × 14.2 cm · painting only: 7.7 × 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
1962.279.193.a
About this artwork
While the lion is away, the monkey is put in charge of protecting his land. However, a family of lynx soon move into the lion’s den, claiming that they are the rightful owners. The text depicts the lion’s home as a beautiful meadow with a field of tulips.