Pair of Japanese folding screens (byôbu) of poets from ‘Hyakunin isshu’ 百人一首

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Pair of Japanese folding screens (byôbu) of poets from ‘Hyakunin isshu’ 百人一首

About the Item

A magnificent pair of large six-panel byôbu (folding screens) with a detailed painting on gold- and silver leaf of a large group of noblemen, officials, monks and warriors accompanied by many beautiful women in traditional Heian attire. It is themed on the Japanese poetry anthology ‘Hyakunin isshu’, which translates as ‘One hundred people, one poem each’. So each person portrayed represents a poet from this poetry collection. Compiled in the 13th century by the esteemed poet Fujiwara no Teika, it presents a chronological collection of works from the ancient Nara Period to the early Kamakura Period, spanning approximately 400 years of Japanese history. Fujiwara no Teika, who himself composed one of the poems, served the Imperial Court under Emperors Gotoba and Juntoku. Following the exile of his liege lords after the Jokyu War, Teika retired to a Buddhist monastic life and dedicated himself to the study of literature and poetry. Each figure is painted very finely each with their own features. Maybe you can even determine which poet is who, as there are precisely 50 poets depicted on each byôbu! The poets are set on an oxidized silver leaf background. Silver leaf continuously undergoes the process of oxidation, which creates a beautiful aged patina. The scene is surrounded by dense gold leaf clouds with a rim of dome-shaped circles. The panels are mounted with two silk borders, a thin black brocade one, and a wide navy blue and white one. The folding screens are protected by a black lacquer wooden frame with its original hardware. Dimensions: Total width: 148.74 in/377.8 cm (2 x 25.31 in/64.3 cm and 4 x 24.52 in/62.3 cm); Height: 67.51 in/171.5 cm. The folding screens are ideal for mounting flat on a wall and to be presented as a single work of art. When shipped we will add a certificate of authenticity. Price including insured shipping.

Dimensions:
Height: 67.52 in (171.5 cm)Width: 148.75 in (377.8 cm)Depth: 0.71 in (1.8 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Materials and Techniques:
Gold Leaf,Lacquer,Paint,Paper,Silk,Hand-Painted
Place of Origin:
Japan
Period:
Late 19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Meiji period (1868-1912)
Condition:
Repaired. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Considering their age the byôbu are in a very good condition with some minor traces of age, wear and old restorations. On 1 panel a recent restoration. Please check the photos for a condition reference.
Seller Location:
Amsterdam, NL
Reference Number:
Seller: B1222+B12231stDibs: LU7165235303702