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Artwork
The hunter throws away the baby parrots, who pretend to be dead, and captures the mother, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifth Night
BasavanaCleveland Museum of ArtCleveland1555
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- Technique
- gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
- Dimensions
- Overall: 20 x 14.4 cm (7 7/8 x 5 11/16 in.); Painting only: 10.6 x 10.2 cm (4 3/16 x 4 in.)
The hunter throws away the baby parrots, who pretend to be dead, and captures the mother, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifth Night is a painting by Basavana (Indian, active c. 1560–1600), c. 1560. gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; Overall: 20 x 14.4 cm (7 7/8 x 5 11/16 in.); Painting only: 10.6 x 10.2 cm (4 3/16 x 4 in.). It is part of the Indian and Southeast Asian Art collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
How to reflect if you encounter this artwork?
- Notice how the delicate use of gold on paper highlights the figures’ expressions and adds a sense of preciousness to the tense moment depicted.
- Consider the contrast between the motion of the hunter and the stillness of the baby parrots pretending to be dead, and what this might reveal about survival and deception.
- Explore the intricate details in the feathers and surroundings that invite you to slow down and appreciate the craftsmanship and storytelling techniques of the 16th century.
- Reflect on the emotive dynamic between the captured mother parrot and her discarded young, and think about the narrative possibilities this scene suggests to you.
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