Jali

Jali screen (one of a pair), second half of 16th century; Mughal Probably from Fatehpur Sikri, India Carved red sandstone; H. 73 1/4 in. (186 cm), W. 51 3/16 in. (130 cm), Th. 3 9/16 in. (9 cm)Rogers Fund, 1993 (1993.67.2)

Jalis (pierced screens) were used extensively in Indian architecture as windows, room dividers, and railings around thrones, platforms, terraces, and balconies. Installed in outer walls, they were ideal for cutting down glare while permitting air to circulate. During the day, the reflection of their patterns moving across the floor would double the pleasure of their intricate geometry. The architecture and weathering on one side suggest that this jali was probably part of a series of windows set in an outside wall.

Jali (marble lattice screen) in Shaikh Salim Chishti mausoleum. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh, India