Meiji Era, Circa 1900 Japanese Screen Pair, Flowers & Birds of Spring & Autumn
Located in Kyoto, JP
Meiji period, circa 1900. A pair of six-fold screens. Ink, color, gofun and gold leaf on paper.
Gold Leaf
Pair of Vintage Mahogany Two Fold Floor Screens that are made of carved wood
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of Vintage Mahogany two fold floor screens. Screens are faced with book spines that are made of carved wood and stained to give the look of leather. Gilt lettering has been ad...
Gold Leaf
The Three Emperors, Futuristic painting triptych as a Byōbu-ē folding screen
By Konstantinos Papamichalopoulos
Located in Dallas, TX
The Three Emperors is a triptych, which Papamichalopoulos has created a Byōbu-ē folding screen. Each panel measures 150x40 cm / 59 x 16 inches.
Gold Leaf
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.
Decorated with white cranes and the sought-after thousand-butterflies motif, the Meiji-period vessel offers both a celebration of traditional aesthetics and a clear reflection of the era’s appetite for exquisite export pieces.
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