Fergusson, James: A history of architecture in all countries, from the earliest times to the present day: in five volumes (Band 3) (London, 1899)

Chap. V.

GUJERAT,

533

could not tolerate, so he filled them with tracery. We can follow
the progress of the development of this form, from the first rude
attempt in the Juimua .Musjid, through all its stages to the exquisite
patterns of the Queen's Mosque at Mirzapore. After a century's expe-
rience the}' produced forms which as architectural ornaments will, in
their own class, stand comparison with any employed in any age or in
any part of the world; and in doing this they invented a class of
window-tracery in which the)' were also unrivalled. The specimen
below (Woodcut No. 301), from a window in a desecrated mosque
in the palace (the Bhudder) will convey an idea of its elaborateness

301. Window in Bhudder at Ahm»'dab;id. (From a Photograph by Colonri Biggs.)

and grace. It would be difficult to excel the skill with which the
vegetable forms are conventionalised just to the extent required for
the purpose. The equal spacing also of the subject by the three ordi-
nary trees and four palms, takes it out of the category of direct imita-
tion of nature, and renders it sufficiently structural for its situation ;
but perhaps the greatest skill is shown in the even manner in which
the pattern is spread over the whole surface. There are some exqui-
site specimens of tracery in precious marbles at Agra and Delhi, but
none quite equal to this.

Above the roof of the mosques the minarets are always round
towers slightly tapering as in the mosque of Moohafil Khan (Wood-
cut No. 300), relieved by galleries displaying great richness in the