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

Basawan painted ‘The monkey slain, his blood to be used as medicine for the ailing prince he has bitten’ around 1560. It is part of the Tuti-nama, a series of tales told by a parrot. The story unfolds in Mughal India under Emperor Akbar’s reign.

The medium is gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper. The miniature is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection. It reflects the Mughal court’s interest in storytelling and illustration.

Basawan was active in the late 1500s. He was known for his skill in color and his observation of human nature. He contributed to the artistic innovations of the Mughal court.

Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, https://clevelandart.org/art/1962.279.33.b