Japanese Screens - byobu = protection from the wind     

Japanese screens are monumental in scale and unique in the world of art for bold designs and compositions - often centuries ahead of western in the context of comparative art history especially in thedevelopment in decoration and design - Korins'  Iris screens being a superb example.

Often used to bring light and space into dark interiors, they still work well and are inclined to make small spaces look much bigger - so be bold and don't think your house isn't big enough!

Japanese screens are always available at  Kazari collector and when not featured on the walls, can be viewed in the purpose built racks in the front corner of the gallery near the front window.

We currently have an interesting range of Japanese screen paintings and scrolls. Whether they are rich in gold leaf and natural mineral pigment colours like the Yamato-e style of Japanese subject painting, or more subtle monochromes of Chinese Literati or Nanga styles.

History

Screens have been produced continuously in Japan since the C8th - C9th through to the present day, and constructed in much the same way since, at least, the C10th. Although the concept may well have come from China - directly in this form or as a simpler version - the Japanese have made it their very own as it developed independently in Japan through several hundred years of isolation with no contact with China.

The screen format, in effect is a flexible and functional 'spare wall' which provided a utilitarian and easily stored 'blank canvas' for artists through the centuries. Usually commissioned, artists working in schools such as the Kano School, Tosa, Rimpa, Soga, Unkoku, Hasegawa and Shijo schools - to name the most well known - produced work under direction in a similar way to the artists of the Italian Renaissance.

The Kano school is most famous, starting in C15th and grew to become something like a franchise chain with many branches by the end of the C19th; marriages of convenience often supported some semblance of family lineage.

Few screens survived because of the nature of the geography of Japan - with volcanoes, earthquakes, fires and wars, their inherent nature as 'fragile things', rendered them vulnerable. The high cost of re-mounting meant that many were not conserved but rather disposed of when damaged.

Some excellent examples are in the collections of The NSW Art Gallery, the SA Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria and in the Queensland Art Gallery

Design

Japanese screens are monumental in scale and unique in the world of art for bold designs and compositions - often centuries ahead of the west in the development in decoration and design - Korins'  Iris screens being a superb example, while retaining simple devices for achieving perspective well into the late C19th  

Often used to bring light and space into dark interiors, they still work well and are inclined to make small spaces look much bigger - so be bold and don't think your house isn't big enough!

Japanese screens are always available at  Kazari Collector and when not featured on the walls, can be viewed in the purpose built racks in the front corner of the gallery near the front window.

We currently have an interesting range of Japanese screen paintings and scrolls. Whether they are rich in gold leaf and natural mineral pigment colours like the Yamato-e style of Japanese subject painting, or more subtle monochromes of Chinese Literati or Nanga styles - they are monumental in scale and unique in the world of art for their bold designs and compositions - often centuries ahead of western development in decoration and design in many respects.

Make an appointment

We are always willing to show our full selection of screens but an appointment ahead of time is appreciated as it does require more than one person to show them, as understandably they are not all on display at any one time.

Japanese artists were more concerned with capturing the immediacy of the subject and concerned with design, spacial concepts and cropped compositions in an attempt to be true to the 'eyes' view'.

This was considered above perspective as a priority, until the Late C19th - meanwhile in the west, artists were dealing with realism and perspective.

Investment potential

Screens surviving are therefore of great cultural value and currently, both early works and latter period screens represent good buying on a world scale for art investors - they have been sought after and collected in the US, first popularised by American, Ernest Fenollosa and later by the Freer Collection now at the Smithsonian in Washington, as well as many other public and  private collections.

Some excellent examples are in the collections ofThe NSW Art Gallery, the SA Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria and in the Queensland Art Gallery

Currently screens represent good buying on a world art market scale, while Chinese art has hit new highs along with contemporary art, prices for Japanese screens have remained steady and prices could quickly accelerate as the market adjusts.

Conservation

We employ a Japanese art conservator  who,following in a family tradition,completed a 6 year aprenticeship as a hyogushi  (lit: paper-mounter ) - and works in all areas related to the restoration and conservation of paper, ink and paint as well as screen and scroll mounting, silk and tapestry work.

Japanese 2 panel screens   

Japanese 6 panel screens   

Japanese paintings