The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 16, 2026

Futtypore Sikri—Two of the Marbled Screens in the Tomb of Sheik Selim Chisti

1866

Samuel Bourne

(British, 1834–1912)
India
albumen print
Paper: 23.9 x 29.4 cm (9 7/16 x 11 9/16 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2024.79
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

Carved marble screens provided not just decoration but also light and air to interiors, while keeping out sun glare and prying eyes.

Description

These elaborate screens decorate the mausoleum of the Sufi saint Salim Chisti (1478-1572). The building, considered one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture in India, was built in 1580-1581 by the Emperor Akbar to honor the saint, whose prayers he believed had guaranteed the birth of male heirs to the throne.
  • 2007
    Purchased on the London art market by Prahlad Bubbar Ltd., London, England
    2007–2024
    (Prahlad Bubbar Ltd., London, sold to The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH)
    September 9, 2024–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Futtypore Sikri—Two of the Marbled Screens in the Tomb of Sheik Selim Chisti|url=false|author=Samuel Bourne|year=1866|access-date=16 March 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2024.79