The parrot laughs on hearing the Raja of Ujjain’s wife admire her beauty in a mirror, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot: Forty-sixth Night
c. 1560
Maker Unknown
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
The parrot laughs on hearing the Raja of Ujjain’s wife admire her beauty in a mirror, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot: Forty-sixth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605). Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 13.3 x 9.8 cm (5 1/4 x 3 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry 1962.279.292.b The raja’s wife claims to be the most beautiful woman in the world. The parrot laughs at her arrogance and tells them of a girl living in an underground kingdom whose beauty is incomparable. From the parrot’s words alone, the raja becomes obsessed with the girl and leaves to seek her company. The mirror that the raja’s wife is holding is painted with silver and would have once looked reflective but has since tarnished.
- Maker/Artist
- Maker Unknown
- Classification
- Painting
- Formatted Medium
- opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper
- Medium
- opaque, watercolor, ink, gold, paper
- Dimensions
- Overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); Painting only: 13.3 x 9.8 cm (5 1/4 x 3 7/8 in.)
- Departments
- Indian and Southeast Asian Art
- Accession Number
- 1962.279.292.b
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry
- Exhibitions
- Yoga: The Art of Transformation
- Rights Statement
- CC0
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