The deceitful wife ejects the procuress after blackening her face - Shravana

A 16th-century Mughal miniature from the Tuti-nama, depicting a narrative scene of domestic retribution with fine detail and traditional Persian-influenced style.

This miniature painting originates from the Tuti-nama, or Tales of a Parrot, a significant manuscript commissioned during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The work depicts a narrative scene from the eighth night of the cycle, where a wife punishes a procuress by blackening her face before casting her out of the home. The composition follows the conventions of the Mughal school, which synthesised Persian artistic traditions with indigenous Indian styles.

The scene is set within a walled courtyard, rendered with a flattened perspective that prioritises narrative clarity over spatial depth. The figures are depicted in profile, a hallmark of the period, with their garments rendered in flat, saturated colours. The architectural elements, including the domed structures and the brickwork of the wall, provide a structured backdrop for the dramatic interaction. The artist employs fine, precise brushwork to delineate the facial features and the jewellery worn by the women.

Textual elements are integrated into the composition, with Persian calligraphy appearing at both the top and bottom of the frame. This integration of script and image is characteristic of the manuscript tradition, where the visual narrative serves to illustrate the moral or cautionary tales recounted by the parrot. The palette relies on mineral pigments, including lapis lazuli for the sky and various earth tones for the architecture, creating a balanced visual field. The work offers a glimpse into the domestic and social dynamics portrayed in the literature of the era, presented through the refined aesthetic of the imperial atelier.