Chinese Export Lacquered Six Panel Coromandel Landscape Screen

Celestial Chinese export coromandel four-panel screen depicting figures in colorful robes in a heavenly landscape among the white clouds. Eac...

Rare and unusual Chinese export eight panel lacquered coromandel screen depicting six beauties. The scene is bordered by a walled pavilion with pagodas and trees. The women appear to...

Charming Chinese export six-panel lacquer coromandel screen featuring a blue and white cloisonné style border decorated with scholars objects,...

Impressive Chinese export six-panel folding coromandel screen depicting flora and fauna. Constructed from lacquered wooden panels hand carved and painted. Features a rare silver leaf...

Chinese screen for export with 6 panels decorated on both sides. The front side with various scenes of daily palatial life with relief figures, buildings and landscapes made of pain...

A superbly decorative six-panel lacquered 'Coromandel' screen, exquisitely carved and hand-painted with oriental figures, flowers and exotic beasts on a dark brown background, in the traditional 17th century manner.  China, Canton, Qing dynasty, late 19th – early 20th century. Why we like it We like its impressive proportions which make it perfect for a feature wall, and the exquisite quality of decoration. The subtlety of colours lends a 'soft' look to the piece. The central motif depicts a scene set in the gardens of a Han dynasty palace, while the outer borders are decorated with the “one hundred antiques” motif interspersed with floral arrangements. In this regard, the present screen not only conveys auspicious meanings but also demonstrate the owner’s fine scholarly taste. History The term 'Coromandel', which is used to describe this particular type of lacquer technique (kuancai), is rather misleading. In the 18th century it was used commercially to indicate the place from which these objects were shipped to England through the East India Companies, and had no reference to China, the place of their origin. Similarly, Chinese painted wallpaper was often called 'India paper' in historic documants. The kuancai lacquer technique, literally meaning “cut out colour” and found almost exclusively on screens, emerged in the 16th century to serve the domestic market. The iconographic elements were carved through the built-up coats of dark lacquer and filled with pigments and gold. Seventeenth century examples usually consisted of twelve panels, and were often employed in entrance halls or as room dividers or windscreens for gardens and terraces. They were often commissioned as gifts and depicted court scenes, episodes from the world of the immortals, panoramic or landscape views and auspicious symbols. This type of lacquerware was flourishing during the reign of the Kangxi emperor (1662-1722) and saw a revival in the 19th century. Stylistically the present screen may be compared with the twelve-panel lacquer screen from the Kangxi period in the Victoria and Albert Museum illustrated by W. De Kesel and G. Dhont in Coromandel Lacquer Screens, ill. 23, pps 36-37. Such luxurious items were popular in England during the height of fashion for oriental exoticism, called chinoiserie in Europe. In the 20th century, Coromandel screens still remained a staple in the European interior design. Coco Chanel had a collection of 32 rare Coromandel screens, which she proudly displayed in her home at 31 Rue Cambom, Paris. She one...

A very fine mid-Qing Dynasty Chinese hardwood and lacquer six-panel screen, Jailing Period, circa 1800. The hardwood frame inset with black lacquer panels. One side features an over...

We are delighted to offer for sale this extremely well-made and highly collectable Chinese Export Soapstone room divider folding screen depicting court beauties A truly stunning and...