"Misty Morning" Byobu Screen

Since the 12th century people in China have used folding screens and doors to partition and decorate their homes—the vivid scenes backing the screens added life and color to a room. ...

Although western painting was initially embraced during Japan’s Meiji period (1868-1912), artists brought on a revival of traditional painting styles as they sought to create a modern Japanese style with roots in the past. This exquisite hanging scroll demonstrates the preference for soft layering of gray tones with judicious use of color. The landscape is rendered in soft ink washes that subtly distinguish between water, mountain, and sky. The scroll painting...

This exquisite Indian miniature painting is a 19th-century reproduction of the Chamba School painting "Portrait of Rāj Singh of Chamba," dated circa 1785. Beautifully honoring the or...

Popularized during the Qing dynasty, reverse glass painting requires an artist to essentially work backwards, starting with details and shading before adding color and form. Lending the finished work a subtle three-dimensional effect, this exacting technique doesn't allow for any corrections, and is only revealed to its full effect when the glass pane is turned around. This example dates to the late 19th century and depicts the Taoist immortals He Xiangu and Cao Guojiu. Said to have attained immortality through their studies of the natural world, the Eight Immortals each represent a different condition in life and impart blessings of prosperity and longevity. The charming scene is likely one of a set of...

The 19th Century Six-Panel Japanese folding screen "Byōbu" usually used in the most important Japanese house to stop wind and also to separate different space of the same big room de...

On gold leaf.

Very early painting of a gold arbor with morning glories, the mulberry paper almost appears polished. Please see close-up photos to show staining from use over the many years (on the...

Japanese two-panel screen: Ikebana on gold. Meiji period (1868-1912) painting of a basket with beautifully arranged spring flowers in the style of ikebana (Japanese traditional flowe...