Indian Hand Carved Jali Work Architectural Detail

Ornament filling every inch, then spilling over onto the broken edges.

This hand carved sandstone jali work architectural detail is from Rajasthan, India, and dates to the 18th century. Hand carving a jali means cutting a repeating pattern through a solid stone slab, a slow task that depends on careful layout and steady chisel work. A gabled niche frame with a tall pointed finial, layered acanthus-style carving and a lacy arched interior. Gray-white paint sits in the recesses, and the right side is ragged where pieces have fallen away, exposing a plain strut at left.

Missing a corner, still holding court.