Early 17th Century Paintings and Screens

Japanese two panel screen: Amorous Cranes and Turtles. In Japan, cranes symbolize fidelity as they mate for life and turtles symbolize longevity. Additionally, this screen also has the Japanese motif of sho-chiku-bai, or the three friends of winter (pine, plum, and bamboo). So called the three friends of winter because all three flourish during the cold months. This screen was originally fusuma doors...

Fantastic Chinese export four-panel lacquered coromandel screen featuring an idyllic pond landscape with eight red crowned cranes or Manchurian cranes...

Kano School painting showing ancient pine, exotic birds, peonies, azalea and cherry tree in bloom on far right. Early Edo period painting, (1614 -...

Impressive pair of 17th century Japanese Edo period Rinpa school screens made in the manner and style of Autumn Grasses by Tawaraya Sotatsu (1570-1640). Beautifully decorated with wi...

Chinese six-panel lacquer screen. This lovely and versatile screen is in the great style of Coco Chanel who loved to decorate with Coromandel s...

Rare unusual late 19th century/early 20th-century Chinese Qing four-panel coromandel screen. The front features dark red lacquer decorated with scholars objects and small landscape s...

Beautifully weathered Chinese export four-panel coromandel screen decorated on both sides. The screen features a pavilion landscape on one side and a floral and fauna landscape on th...

Distinctive Chinese export four-panel coromandel screen featuring carved hardstone and soapstone decoration. The screen depicts a group of beauties in colorful flowing robes. The parcel-gilt landscape is decorated with two large carved stone trees...

Fantastic Chinese six-panel Rosewood carved lattice folding screen. Features intricate geometric patterns with Greek key motif. Each panel is 17.5 inches wide and has a contrasting o...

Gorgeous Chinese export four-panel coromandel screen featuring a courtyard scene of beauties engaged in leisurely activities. The lacquered panels are incised and painted in soft pas...

Bamboo in moonlight Gamo Rakan (1784-1866) Hanging scroll, ink on silk. Dimensions: Scroll: 201 cm x 58 cm Image: 137 cm x 45 cm In this early 19th century work by Gamo Rakan a light ink wash applied to the silk background silhouettes the moon and suggests the atmosphere of early evening. Even though it is a literati subject, Rakan’s bamboo is quite realistic with a strong decorative style. The painting finds its inspiration from Chinese Ming dynasty painters who often used a single-tone, jet black stroke to emphasize the calligraphic nature of bamboo. In a different era, decorative would have been seen as somewhat unrefined. But increasingly in the Edo period, it was the hallmark of high style. The Japanese people, in particular the rising merchant class, had gradually become apathetic toward the traditional Sesshu and Kano schools of painting. Chinese professional and amateur painters living in the port of Nagasaki during the 18th century had a profound effect on Japanese painting and the freshness of their style and its decorative appeal contributed greatly to its popularity. Gamo Rakan’s teacher, Tani Buncho...

Fascinating 19th century Japanese late Edo period six pane funpon screen. Large scale depicting Chinese scholars and officials engaged in leis...