The prince being taken away for execution on the false complaint of the handmaiden, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night
1555–1565
- Medium
- gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
- Dimensions
- Painting only: 5.7 x 10.1 cm (2 1/4 x 4 in.); Overall: 20 x 13.9 cm (7 7/8 x 5 1/2 in.)
- Genre
- Painting
- Museum
- Cleveland Museum of Art
Tags
Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)
About
Embarrassed and angry that the prince rejected her advances, and worried that he will tell the king of her misconduct, the handmaiden preempts him by falsely accuses the prince of assaulting her. Since he has taken a vow of silence, he does not defend himself, so the king orders the prince to be beheaded.