Four-panel Japanese Byōbu Screen In Black Lacquer, Early 20th Century

Four-Panel Japanese Byōbu Screen in Black Lacquer, Early 20th Century

An exceptional four-panel Japanese folding screen, or Byōbu, dating from the early 20th century, crafted in black lacquer and richly decorated on both sides.

The main panel features an elegant garden scene brought to life by figures in traditional attire, children, bridges, flowering trees, and mountains in the distance. The composition is enhanced by jade carvings and decorative hardstone relief elements, giving the piece a remarkable three-dimensional effect.

The reverse side is equally decorative, featuring a different landscape composed of mountains, rivers, pine trees, and traditional bridges, painted in warm golden and copper tones against the deep black lacquer background.

This double-sided decoration is one of the piece’s greatest attractions. Many antique folding screens feature a more understated reverse side, whereas this example can be admired as two distinct works of art in a single object. It can thus be displayed on either side, serving as a room divider, a decorative backdrop, or a collector’s item.

Delicate gold borders frame each panel, while the lower sections are adorned with ceremonial objects, floral arrangements, and refined motifs inspired by the Far East. Small touches of turquoise elegantly complement the overall design.

Highly decorative, this beautiful early 20th-century Japanese folding screen combines lacquerwork, hand-painted decoration, carved jade elements, and relief ornaments.

Details
Origin: Japan
Period: early 20th century, circa 1900–1930
Style: Japanese / Oriental
Materials: black lacquered wood, jade inlays, decorative reliefs carved from hard stone, gilded decoration
Number of Panels: 4
Decoration: double-sided
Dimensions of Each Panel: 180 x 45 cm
Condition: good antique condition, with slight signs of wear consistent with its age