ARCHED SANDSTONE JALI
of pointed arch form, the mottled red sandstone carved and pierced with a double-sided geometrical design of interwoven octagons.
66 by 94 by 6cm
A jali or jaali (jālī, meaning “net”) is the term for a perforated stone or latticed screen, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of calligraphy, geometry or natural patterns. This form of architectural decoration is common in Indo-Islamic architecture and more generally in Indian architecture. It is closely related to mashrabiya in Islamic architecture.
A Jali allows light and air while minimizing the sun and the rain, as well as providing cooling through passive ventilation. The holes are nearly the same width or smaller than the thickness of the stone, thus providing structural strength. It has been observed that humid areas like Kerala and Konkan have larger holes with overall lower opacity than compared with the dry climate regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Provenance: Niall Hobhouse, Hadspen House, Somerset, 1980s – 1999
