Paravents Japonais

Originally intended for ceremonial use in the imperial palace and in Buddhist temples, screens (byôbu) very soon acquired a domestic use, both as a movable partition and as a decorative support much appreciated by the Japanese aristocracy. The representations are hidden and reveal themselves to the viewer, opening the way to a unique pictorial reflection on the arrangement of forms, colours and materials.

Richly illustrated, this magnificent book with its Japanese binding offers a complete panorama of the art of the Japanese screen. After an initial historical section, it focuses on the history of the screen from its origins to the 16th century, then to the Edo period (1603-1867) before concluding with a look at Japonism and the 20th century.