The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 20, 2024

The goldsmith judged; the bear cubs trained by the carpenter as though they were his sons, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Third Night

The goldsmith judged; the bear cubs trained by the carpenter as though they were his sons, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Third Night

c. 1560
(reigned 1556–1605)
gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Painting only: 10.2 x 10.5 cm (4 x 4 1/8 in.); Overall: 20 x 13.7 cm (7 7/8 x 5 3/8 in.)
Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry 1962.279.23.a
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

After the goldsmith returned the stolen goods, his sons were given back.

Description

In the upper-left corner, the goldsmith and the carpenter have dinner with their wives and children. The greedy goldsmith has robbed the carpenter who, in revenge, abducts the goldsmith’s sons and replaces them with two bear cubs. Below, the bears rub their faces against the goldsmith’s sleeves, proving to the judge that they must be the man’s transformed children.
  • ?–1959
    Estate of Breckinridge Long [1881–1958], Bowie, MD
    1959–1962?
    (Harry Burke Antiques, Philadelphia, PA)
    1959?–1962
    (Bernard Brown Agency, Milwaukee, WI, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art. Purchased with funds from Mrs. A. Dean [Helen Wade Greene] Perry)
    1962–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
    Provenance Footnotes
    1 Samuel Miller Breckinridge Long (May 16, 1881–September 26, 1958) was an American diplomat and politician, who served in the administrations of Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Long is largely remembered for his obstructionist role as the Assistant Secretary of State responsible for granting refugee visas during World War II. His interests included the collection of antiques, paintings and American ship models. He maintained a stable of Thoroughbred race horses and was a director of the Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland, and he enjoyed fox hunting, fishing, and sailing.
  • Seyller, John. “Overpainting in the Cleveland T̤ūtīnāma.” Artibus Asiae 52, no. 3/4 (1992): 283-318. p. 309 www.jstor.org
  • {{cite web|title=The goldsmith judged; the bear cubs trained by the carpenter as though they were his sons, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Third Night|url=false|author=|year=c. 1560|access-date=20 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1962.279.23.a