What is Japanese screen painting?

Japanese screen painting is the art of creating byōbu, or Japanese screens. Byōbu vary in subject matter and style. The screens are free-standing, portable and decorated with symbolic images or calligraphy. It is common to find byōbu in pairs with at least two panels. Shop a selection of byōbu on 1stDibs.

What are Japanese screens called?

Japanese screens are called Byōbu and are made from many panels with beautiful calligraphy and paintings. These folding screens can be a decorative and interesting way to separate rooms in a living space. Find a collection of Japanese screens for sale on 1stDibs.

What is a Japanese low screen used for?

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Japanese Folding Screens

Asian Gold Leaf Panel Art

Japanese Byobu

Japanese Ship

Asian Screens And Panels

Silver Japanese Painting

Paper Folded Art

$12,995

$2,800

B96 Old Japanese 6panels folding Screen, Hina Doll Accessories painting

Located in Niiza, JP

*Please handle folding screens with care, as the joints are prone to weakening.

Category

20th Century Japanese Paintings and Screens

Materials

Unavailable

H 37.41 in W 59.06 in D 0.99 in

Pair of Japanese 18th Century Folding Screens

Located in Lisbon, IT

Pair of Japanese folding screens (3 leafs each).

Category

Antique 18th Century Japanese Paintings and Screens

Late 18th Century, Japanese Folding Screen with Carps, Edo Period

Unavailable

H 55.52 in W 102.37 in D 0.6 in

Late 18th Century, Japanese Folding Screen with Carps, Edo Period

Located in Central Hong-Kong, HK

In this folding screen, the artist depicted every scales and intricate detail around the eyes and fins of the carp.

Category

Antique Late 18th Century Japanese Edo Antiquities

Materials

Wood, Paper

Japanese Screen

Unavailable

H 62 in W 62 in D 1.5 in

Japanese Screen

Located in Stamford, CT

Charming two-panel Japanese folding screen.

18th Century Six-Fold Japanese Screen "Tokaido"

Unavailable

H 47.5 in W 111 in D 0.6 in

18th Century Six-Fold Japanese Screen "Tokaido"

Located in New York, NY

This is a beautiful antique six-fold Japanese screen. The subject is "Tokaido", which features famous locations between Tokyo and Kyoto.

Materials

Paper

Six-Panel Peacock Folding Screen by Hirai Chokusui

Unavailable

Unavailable

Unavailable

H 47.25 in W 23.04 in D 1.97 in

Phenomena, Colors, Keiji Takeuchi, 1st Edition, 2020

Located in Milan, IT

My research led me to traditional Japanese folding screens – byobu – that served as both a furnishing and decorative element.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Minimalist Decorative Art

Gold Leaf

Japanese Screen Painting, Circa 1700 'Tales of Ise' by Tosa Mitsusuke

$24,500

$3,634Sale Price / set|30% Off

H 68.9 in W 152.37 in D 0.71 in

Pair of 19th Century Japanese Screens

Located in Bagshot, GB

A pair of large 19th century Japanses Screens of Japanese scenery. The screens also come with a wooden crate which would have been built for them at a later date in order to move ...

Category

Antique 19th Century Asian Other Decorative Art

Materials

Materials

Mirror

Murano Green Art Glass and Brass Italian Console / Wall Mirror, 2020

$5,147 / item

H 47.25 in W 31.5 in D 2.76 in

Murano Green Art Glass and Brass Italian Console / Wall Mirror, 2020

Located in Roma, Lazio

Splendid bright green Murano glass mirror. A mirror that alone will furnish your home environment. Rich but tasteful, the mirror has a truly particular design, with a very beautiful ...

Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors

Materials

Brass

Italian Mid-Century Murano Leaf Chandelier in Handblown Venetian Glass and Brass

$6,634 / item

H 61.03 in Dm 43.31 in

Italian Mid-Century Murano Leaf Chandelier in Handblown Venetian Glass and Brass

By Barovier

Located in Bochum, NRW

Illuminate your space with this striking vintage Murano chandelier, a true testament to Italian mid-century artistry. Expertly handcrafted in Murano, Italy, this chandelier features ...

Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Classic Chandelier 5 Arms Clear and Pink Murano Glass by Multiforme

$1,894Sale Price / item|20% Off

$50,000

H 13.2 in Dm 6 in

Pair of Rare Porcelain Commemorative Vases by Makuzu Kozan Meiji Period

By Makuzu Kozan

Located in Atlanta, GA

A pair of porcelain vases in classic form, decorated with underglaze blue and copper red painting by Imperial potter Makuzu Kozan. Also known as Miyagawa Kozan (1842–1916), Makuzu wa...

Category

Vintage 1910s Japanese Japonisme Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

$2,350

H 24 in W 47 in D 22 in

American Folk Art Blanket Chest, Hand-Painted Wood, Circa 1800

Located in Astoria, NY

American Polychrome Painted Wood Blanket Chest, circa 1800, with American sigil, soldier and equestrian vignettes to the top and sides, two bottom short drawers. 24" H x 47" W x 22"...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century American Folk Art Blanket Chests

Materials

Wood, Paint

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Japanese Folding Screens For Sale on 1stDibs

Find a variety of Japanese folding screens available on 1stDibs. Frequently made of paper, metal and wood, all Japanese folding screens available were constructed with great care. Find 148 antique and vintage Japanese folding screens at 1stDibs now, or shop our selection of 43 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished furniture. Japanese folding screens have been made for many years, and versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century. Japanese folding screens made by Art Deco designers — as well as those associated with Arts and Crafts — are very popular at 1stDibs. Japanese School, Ryosuke Harashima and Kano Tanshin each produced beautiful Japanese folding screens that are worth considering.

How Much are Japanese Folding Screens?

Japanese folding screens can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price at 1stDibs is $7,850, while the lowest priced sells for $248 and the highest can go for as much as $198,390.

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.

Questions About Japanese Folding Screens

What is Japanese screen painting?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Japanese screen painting is the art of creating byōbu, or Japanese screens. Byōbu vary in subject matter and style. The screens are free-standing, portable and decorated with symbolic images or calligraphy. It is common to find byōbu in pairs with at least two panels. Shop a selection of byōbu on 1stDibs.
What are Japanese screens called?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertAugust 17, 2021
Japanese screens are called Byōbu and are made from many panels with beautiful calligraphy and paintings. These folding screens can be a decorative and interesting way to separate rooms in a living space. Find a collection of Japanese screens for sale on 1stDibs.
What is a Japanese low screen used for?
1 Answer
Lotus GalleryMarch 17, 2021
A Japanese low screen was traditionally used while seated upon the floor. The low screen would block wind and drafts, provide limited privacy, and are often decorated with seasonal themes.

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