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The merchant returns bringing a young slave who is really the son of the princess of Rum, now married to the king, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fiftieth Night
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About this work
The princess of Rum watches anxiously from an upper window as her son is introduced to the enthroned king. In order to hide his identity, she has told her husband that the young man has expert knowledge of precious gemstones. The king, impressed with the slave’s skill, welcomes him into his court.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineThe merchant returns bringing a young slave who is really the son of the princess of Rum, now married to the king, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fiftieth 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: 13.9 x 10.1 cm (5 1/2 x 4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry, 1962.279.318.b
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