Paintings and Screens Japan

The byōbu (folding screen^?, literally "walls of wind") are Japanese screens made of several hinged shutters, usually in pairs.

As their name suggests, their original purpose is to prevent the wind from blowing in the rooms.

The screen creates partitions, protects from looks and drafts or attenuates light, but its clear or reflective surface, when covered with gold or silver, also allows light to be reflected. , sometimes faint, from outside or from the lighting provided by candles or oil lamps. It offers the possibility of articulating the volume of the room in an interesting way.

 They are introduced to Japan in viii^e century, when Japanese artisans began to manufacture their own byōbu, then highly inspired by their Chinese models. The structure and design of byōbu, just like their techniques and the materials used, vary with the different periods of Japanese history.