Southeast Asian Floor Screen
Antique Mid-19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Paintings and Screens
Glass
People Also Browsed
Antique Late 19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Paintings
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Unknown Paintings
Paint
Antique 19th Century Indian Paintings
Paper
1940s Landscape Paintings
Gouache
Antique 19th Century Indian Paintings
Paper
Antique 19th Century Indian Paintings and Screens
Paper
Mid-20th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Paintings
Paint
Antique 18th Century Indian Paintings
Paper
2010s French Other Contemporary Art
Plywood, Parchment Paper
21st Century and Contemporary American Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Gouache, Paper
2010s French Other Contemporary Art
Plywood, Parchment Paper
Antique Late 19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Paintings
Paper
2010s Contemporary Animal Paintings
Watercolor, Paper, Gouache
Antique Late 18th Century Unknown Paintings
Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Portrait Drawings and Watercolors
Gouache
Antique Mid-18th Century Indian Paintings
Paint
Recent Sales
20th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Paintings and Screens
Bone, Wood
Finding the Right paintings-screens for You
Traditional Asian paintings were often created on scrolls and folding screens. Artisans made screens that could be folded up or spread out by connecting several panels using hinges. Today, antique Asian folding screens and paintings are sophisticated decorative accents that can serve as makeshift partitions to ensure privacy.
The original folding screens were created by Chinese artists. The earliest record of screens comes from the 2nd century B.C., and surviving examples date back to the Ming dynasty. Chinese painting utilizes many of the same tools as calligraphy — these screens were crafted from wood with painted panels featuring striking art or calligraphy that told cultural stories or represented nature and life in the area.
The practice was introduced to Japan, where paintings for screens were made on paper and silk, in the 8th century. These paintings frequently feature subjects such as landscapes, animals, flowers and Buddhist religious themes. Along with screens for tea ceremonies and dance backgrounds, there were screens for use in Shinto and Buddhist temples.
In the 17th century, screens began to be imported to Europe where their popularity grew. Coco Chanel famously collected Coromandel folding screens.
Traditional Asian paintings can make a tasteful addition to any wall, and screens can be used as decoration or, in the case of larger iterations, as an aesthetic way to divide a large room. Browse the selection of antique Asian paintings and screens from a variety of styles and eras on 1stDibs.