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The three young men present themselves as suitors for the hand of Zuhra, the daughter of the merchant of Kabul, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-fourth Night
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About this work
Above, two women listen as three suitors address the merchant of Kabul. Each hopes to prove himself worthy of marrying the merchant’s daughter, Zuhra. The first is skilled in divination; the second can bring carved wooden horses to life, and the third is a talented archer. Before Zuhra can select a husband, she is kidnapped by an evil fairy.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineThe three young men present themselves as suitors for the hand of Zuhra, the daughter of the merchant of Kabul, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-fourth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 16 x 10 cm (6 5/16 x 3 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry, 1962.279.225.a
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