Japanese Byobu Screen with Silver Leaf Clouds

Paper folding screens known as byobu, or "wind walls," were used in Japanese homes to block drafts and partition interiors. Typically quite large, byobu screens provided an opportunity for decoration and were finished with intricate paintings, silk brocade, and precious metal leaf.

This spectacular Meiji-era six-panel byobu screen is hand-painted with a beautiful village landscape, likely a scene from a popular opera or literary drama. At the center of the screen, six samurai cross a bridge on horseback, riding away from the men and women seated in the traditional Japanese home on the right. The lively scene is enclosed by a parting fog of billowing silver leaf clouds and framed with a silk brocade trim.

Additional Dimensions:
Outermost Panels: 24.5"W
Center Panels: 24"W