Artwork Page for The king of Bahilistan offers his daughter to the King of Kings, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventh Night

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The king of Bahilistan offers his daughter to the King of Kings, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventh Night

c. 1560

Mughal India, court of Akbar

(reigned 1556–1605)
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Medium
gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Measurements
Overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); Painting only: 10.6 x 10 cm (4 3/16 x 3 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry 1962.279.46.b
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

The domed pavilions are typical features of Mughal architecture, with the pink sandstone eves.

Description

The local king was so moved by the gesture of the King of King’s in support of the dervish and by his cleverness at bringing his own head, still attached, that he offered his daughter in marriage to him. The princess, wearing Indian dress, is shown honoring his feet. The male figures wear the Central Asian dress of the Mughals, with a long belted tunic and pants. The King of Kings then allowed her to marry the dervish. A fancy door with geometric patterns is in the background, but it extends all the way down to the front of the floor, which has been tilted up, so that the tile pattern can be seen head-on. These fanciful manipulations of space are a hallmark of local Indian artistic practice.
Page with the upper half featuring Persian text, the lower two men facing each other, the man on our right's arms gesturing to the woman bowing on her knees at the left man's feet, all three figures with light skin tones. Three men with medium-light skin tones stand at the periphery. Soft lines outlining the people contrast with the room's geometrically patterned black and red door and orange rimmed gold tile floor.

The king of Bahilistan offers his daughter to the King of Kings, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventh Night

c. 1560

Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)

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