The young man changes himself to look like Mansur, and thus inveigles himself into the bed of Mansur’s wife, but is put off by her, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventeenth Night Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)

The young man changes himself to look like Mansur, and thus inveigles himself into the bed of Mansur’s wife, but is put off by her, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Seventeenth Night

c. 1560

Mughal India, court of Akbar

(reigned 1556–1605)

Overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); Painting only: 6.6 x 10.2 cm (2 5/8 x 4 in.)

Gift of Mrs. A. Dean Perry 1962.279.128.b

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Did You Know?

The imposter offers the woman a packet of paan to freshen her breath before love play.

Description

The lascivious young man who magically transformed himself to have the appearance of Mansur the merchant kneels on an arabesque-patterned bed with Mansur’s wife. Although he looks like her husband, his actions and personality are different, so the woman suspects something is amiss and feigns illness to stall the imposter’s advances.