Posted 2018/11/14
A screen is a piece of decorative furniture often placed in predominant areas of a room for partitioning, adornment, wind shielding and coordination effect. As a key component of traditional Chinese furniture, screens have a long history.
Screens were originally designed to be placed behind an emperor’s throne. A screen was made of wooden frames mounted with crimson silk bearing battle axe patterns, serving as a symbol of the emperor’s power. After a long process of development, screens were no longer for the exclusive use of the emperor and began to enter ordinary households, becoming an important element for interior decoration.
There are a variety of screen types, the main ones being vertical screens and foldable screens. The later-appeared table screens are for ornamental use only. They are delicate and exquisite, very interesting. In ancient times, the screens in the residences of nobles and aristocrats were made with fine materials and superb craftsmanship. They were mostly made of mica, crystal and colored glaze etc. And precious materials like ivory, jade, enamel, jadeite, gold and silver were used in tessellated work.
The value of screens lies not only in its own craftsmanship, but also in the cultural richness of the paintings and poems created on the screens. The content of the paintings and poems varies greatly. Legend has it that Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty wrote his governing principles on screens to spur himself on. In ancient times, people would paint the images of emperors and generals with great achievements or respected virtuous women on screens to praise their behavior and educate people.
Screens can also be found in other works of art. For instance, landscape screens were featured in Dunhuang murals. The most famous work containing screen images is the masterpiece painting of HanXizai's Night Feast. A large screen with beautiful landscape can be seen in the painting. A wide array of subjects can be presented in screen paintings, including mountains, rivers, human images, flowers, birds as well as calligraphy works etc.
In recent years, the cultural beauty of classical furniture including screens is being re-recognized and screens have become an essential part of classical Chinese furniture.