Tea ceremony folding screen, late 19th century.

Tea ceremony screen, late 19th century.
Six leaves.
Silk, gold leaf, wood, brass, hand painted.
Presents seals.
Measurements: 167,5 x 351 cm.

Screen or room divider for the tea ceremony (furosaki byobu), of six silk panels mounted on a wooden stretcher frame, with the representation of a single vegetable bouquet of autumnal inspiration and lyrical evocation, hand painted. Much of the space remains empty, leaving the smooth golden beauty of the background in view, which refers to the value conceived in Japanese philosophy to the concept of emptiness as fullness and energy. In Japan, these screens were traditionally used as a backdrop for ikebana arrangements or, as in this case, for a temporary room for the tea ceremony.