The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c30.s1.17.4

v3.c30.s1.17.4

The other two—one to the right and one to the left of the central mihrāb—are adorned with free plant and floral designs, the like of which does not exist in any other monument of India. What makes these windows so supremely beautiful is the unerring sense for rhythm with which the artist has filled his spaces and the skill with which he has brought the natural forms of the trees into harmony with their architectural setting. Such half conventionalised designs, it is true, are familiar enough in India. They are found commonly on textiles, silver and brass relief work and the like, but this is the only instance of their elaboration in stone and the wonder is that so exquisite a method of screening window openings, having once been hit upon, was never afterwards repeated.