Artwork Page for 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

Details / Information for 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

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)
View all records in artwork set
Medium
gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Measurements
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.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry 1962.279.292.b
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

The mirror that the raja’s wife is holding is painted with silver and would have once looked reflective but has since tarnished.

Description

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.
A vertical manuscript painting features black calligraphy above a scene of a man and woman with light skin tones. The man, in an orange robe, reclines against a green cushion within a pillared pavilion. To our left, the woman in a red and gold garment holds a circular mirror. A green parrot sits in a red cage on our right. Elaborately patterned rugs and geometric tiling fill the interior space.

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)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork