The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Eighth Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot)
Unknown Artist
c. 1560
Medium
gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions
20.3 × 14 cm · painting only: 11.4 × 9.8 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry
Accession Number
1962.279.51.b
About this artwork
On the eighth night, the parrot tells Khujasta a story—the most lavishly illustrated of all the chapters in the book—that has important parallels with the experiences of Emperor Akbar himself. The overarching tale is about a prince who maintained a vow of silence despite being imprisoned and taken to be executed on seven consecutive days. Each day, the king was convinced to stop the execution after hearing a story told by one of his seven viziers, or ministers. The adjacent paintings illustrate ...