Four-panel Folding Screen Depicting Palace Scenes; China, Qing Dynasty, 18th Century
Artist: Anonyme
Four-panel folding screen depicting palace scenes.
China, Canton (Guangzhou), Qing Dynasty, 18th century
Materials and techniques: Painted and gold-leafed leather, softwood frame, reverse side with a veined marble effect, bronze or brass studs.
Dimensions: Height: 184 cm; Total length: 215 cm.
Status: Asian Art Collection / Decorative Arts for Export. Stylistic and iconographic description:
This superb folding screen is part of the production of luxury objects intended for Western markets, which were then swept up in the “Chinoiserie” craze.
The main panel unfolds a continuous narrative through exquisite Chinese scenes, characteristic of the courtly imagery of the late Kangxi era or the Qianlong reign.
Against a burnished gold background that lends a deep luminosity, the composition centers on elegant female figures moving through a garden filled with plum trees and peonies, symbols of prosperity.
Children and auspicious birds, rendered in meticulous detail, enliven this idyllic landscape.
The lower register features a series of cartouches adorned with bouquets and vases of flowers, following a rigorous iconographic tradition.
Each panel is structurally accentuated by a studded leather trim, reinforcing the overall sturdiness of the piece.
The reverse side offers a sober and technical contrast with a trompe-l’œil design imitating richly veined marble, a common practice for pieces placed at the center of European salons.
Context of creation and designers:
At that time, the concept of an individual designer did not exist in Chinese export crafts.
The work stems from the collective expertise of an art workshop (comprising master carpenters, tanners, gilders, and painters) based in the Thirteen Factories district of Canton.
These highly skilled master artisans worked from design manuals often influenced by commissions from the East India Companies.
Here, they successfully combined the suppleness of leather—a material highly prized in Europe for draperies and screens—with the delicacy of Chinese court painting, creating a major milestone in 18th-century global artistic exchange.
You can follow me on Instagram by clicking this link: https://www.instagram.com/patrick.boussougant/
China, Canton (Guangzhou), Qing Dynasty, 18th century
Materials and techniques: Painted and gold-leafed leather, softwood frame, reverse side with a veined marble effect, bronze or brass studs.
Dimensions: Height: 184 cm; Total length: 215 cm.
Status: Asian Art Collection / Decorative Arts for Export. Stylistic and iconographic description:
This superb folding screen is part of the production of luxury objects intended for Western markets, which were then swept up in the “Chinoiserie” craze.
The main panel unfolds a continuous narrative through exquisite Chinese scenes, characteristic of the courtly imagery of the late Kangxi era or the Qianlong reign.
Against a burnished gold background that lends a deep luminosity, the composition centers on elegant female figures moving through a garden filled with plum trees and peonies, symbols of prosperity.
Children and auspicious birds, rendered in meticulous detail, enliven this idyllic landscape.
The lower register features a series of cartouches adorned with bouquets and vases of flowers, following a rigorous iconographic tradition.
Each panel is structurally accentuated by a studded leather trim, reinforcing the overall sturdiness of the piece.
The reverse side offers a sober and technical contrast with a trompe-l’œil design imitating richly veined marble, a common practice for pieces placed at the center of European salons.
Context of creation and designers:
At that time, the concept of an individual designer did not exist in Chinese export crafts.
The work stems from the collective expertise of an art workshop (comprising master carpenters, tanners, gilders, and painters) based in the Thirteen Factories district of Canton.
These highly skilled master artisans worked from design manuals often influenced by commissions from the East India Companies.
Here, they successfully combined the suppleness of leather—a material highly prized in Europe for draperies and screens—with the delicacy of Chinese court painting, creating a major milestone in 18th-century global artistic exchange.
You can follow me on Instagram by clicking this link: https://www.instagram.com/patrick.boussougant/
Back to the shop: Online sales of antique objects and furniture, secure purchasing (abnantiquitesdenormandie.com)
2 600 €
Period: 18th century
Style: Asian art
Condition: Fully restored
Material: Leather
Width: 184 cm
Height: 215 cm
Reference (ID): 1838011
Availability: In stock
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