Scrolls, Screens & Fan Paintings

Folding screens and screen painting are a special form of traditional Chinese art. They originated in China, as early as the 4th century BC. During the Song Dynasty, paintings would be either painted on a wall as a mural or mounted on wooden folding screens. Usually, the themes that are depicted in these artworks include animals, birds, flowers and Chinese landscapes. Folding screens otherwise known as wind barriers, come in a variety of heights, from extremely low to medium and tall. Apart from blocking the wind, folding screens are used as room dividers or in the background for formal occasions. As for hanging scrolls, it's a special category used for vertical compositions. They are painted in ink or gouache on continuous lengths of rice paper or fine silk, both of those materials are very thin. Their themes include natural environments, exquisite landscapes and domestic interiors. Usually, they are mounted or embroidered on silk, thus they can be easily rolled up.