CC0 · no rights reserved
The astrologer predicts a calamity for the newly born prince in his thirteenth year, but one which he would be able to overcome, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The parrot’s tale on the eighth night begins with a king in India who finally had a son late in life. The painting depicts the king enthroned, gesturing to the documents of an astrologer who has predicted that the child will undergo severe hardship in his 13th year, but that he will overcome them. The infant prince is held in the arms of a woman kneeling at the left. Female musicians provide accompaniment to the scene. The flat red background, drawn from indigenous Indian painting traditions, visually connotes the emotionally charged quality of this moment for the king.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineThe astrologer predicts a calamity for the newly born prince in his thirteenth year, but one which he would be able to overcome, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night, c. 1560. Banavari 1 (Indian, active 1550s-1590s). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 6.3 x 9.9 cm (2 1/2 x 3 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry, 1962.279.52.b