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Artwork
The monkey slain, his blood to be used as medicine for the ailing prince he has bitten, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifth Night
BasawanCleveland Museum of ArtCleveland1555
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- Technique
- gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
- Dimensions
- Overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); Painting only: 10.3 x 10.6 cm (4 1/16 x 4 3/16 in.)
The monkey slain, his blood to be used as medicine for the ailing prince he has bitten, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifth Night is a painting by Basawan (Indian, active mid-1500s), c. 1560. gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; Overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); Painting only: 10.3 x 10.6 cm (4 1/16 x 4 3/16 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 the use of gold highlights in the scene and consider how they draw your eye to particular details in this story from the 16th century.
- Reflect on the emotional moment captured here. How does the depiction of the slain monkey and the ailing prince invite you to think about cause and effect?
- Look closely at the intricate ink and tempera work and imagine the time and care involved in creating this small-scale narrative illustration.
- Consider the cultural significance of using the monkey’s blood as medicine and how this healing idea contrasts with the violence of the act depicted.
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