Lattice window; India, Rajasthan, early 19th century

Lattice window; India, Rajasthan, early 19th century or earlier.
Carved sandstone.
Work exhibited at Feriarte 2007.
Measurements: 183 x 52,5 x 10 cm.
Due to its aesthetics it is possible that it comes from a palace of Jaisalmer I. Jalí is the Hindu equivalent to the lattice, an architectural element consisting of an openwork board that was used to cover openings such as balconies, windows or doors; allowing to see from the inside without being seen while letting light and air into the rooms and helping to regulate the temperature. In India, the jali is usually made in stone and is developing as a mixture between the ancestral stonework and the art of working the stone through Punctures that draw beautiful geometric shapes as can be seen in the piece that we present. Geometric patterns were usually combined with calligraphy. Over time this type of decorative element will gain more prominence in Indian architecture and the decorations will become increasingly complex. The lattice or jali is profusely used in Indian, Islamic and Hispano-Muslim architecture.
The decorative patterns of Indian art are obtained, as can be seen in the tympanum, by repeating simple interlaced or superimposed elements. The taste for symmetry stands out, thus achieving a dynamic and harmonious effect where the detail does not prevail over the whole. The infinite reiteration of ornaments in the Indian world is part of a representative metaphor close to the concept of eternity and the mutability of the universe. Indian art, unlike Western art, does not imitate nature. For this reason, a stylized representation of ornaments and plant motifs is very common.