The wounded monkey bites the hand of the prince, his chessmate, in the presence of guests, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifth Night

Dasavanta

This painting depicts a scene from the cautionary tale the mother parrot tells her young to warn them that interspecies friendships, like theirs with the fox cubs, are a bad idea. She tells them that there once was a monkey who could play chess, and he enjoyed many games with a prince. When the prince invited dignitaries for a party, the monkey made a bad joke, the prince slapped him, and the monkey bit him in return. At the left, food is prepared as the guests look on in astonishment. An inscription at the bottom of the page names the artist, who went on to become one of the most celebrated Indian masters at the Mughal court.

Artwork details

Artist: Dasavanta
Date: c. 1560
Medium: gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions: Overall: 20 x 14.2 cm (7 7/8 x 5 9/16 in.); Painting only: 10.2 x 10.6 cm (4 x 4 3/16 in.)
Culture: Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)
Collection: Indian and Southeast Asian Art

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portrait artwork · 3994 × 6150 pixels

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Artwork total

Rs. 1126

Artwork cost: Rs. 1000

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Size / customization

Artwork size: 9" × 14"

Whole-inch standard sizes may trim a small amount from the edges. Artwork is never stretched.