Artwork Page for The old man eats of the fruit of the Tree of Life, but drops dead, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Ninth Night

Details / Information for The old man eats of the fruit of the Tree of Life, but drops dead, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Ninth Night

The old man eats of the fruit of the Tree of Life, but drops dead, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Ninth Night

c. 1560

Lalu

(Indian, active mid-1500s)
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Culture
Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)
Medium
gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Measurements
Painting only: 11.4 x 10.2 cm (4 1/2 x 4 in.); Overall: 20.1 x 14.3 cm (7 15/16 x 5 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry 1962.279.78.a
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

The gesture of the index finger touching the mouth indicates shock, awe, or bewilderment.

Description

The enthroned king stares in amazement at the body of the old man. The parrot, who brought the king the fruit, sits in a cage at the center of the room. Believing the parrot to be a traitor, the king orders his execution. However, unbeknownst to the king, the fruit was actually poisoned by the bite of a venomous snake.
A vertically oriented gum tempera and ink painting captures a crowded court scene. An orange-clad figure sits on an ornate floral throne, finger to lip. Below a central birdcage and four clustered men, a figure in red sprawls lifelessly against a checkered floor. Four lines of black script ground the composition, while thin yellow and blue borders frame the colorful, detailed arrangement.

The old man eats of the fruit of the Tree of Life, but drops dead, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Ninth Night

c. 1560

Lalu

(Indian, active mid-1500s)
Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)

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