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Islamic Art: All

Work 57 of 63
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Screen, Second half of 16th century; Mughal period (1526–1858)
Made in India
Red sandstone; carved; H. 73 in. (185.4 cm) W. 51 5/16 in. (130.3 cm) Th. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm) Wt: matching piece weighed 780 lbs (353.8) in crate
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. Used 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 pair was probably part of a series of windows set in an outside wall.