Byobu (Japanese Screens) - Byobu are Japanese folding screens with decorative paintings or calligraphy, traditionally used as room dividers. During the Edo period in Japan, byobu became quite popular in the residences of samurai and daimyo, with gold leaf backgrounds and sumptuous paintings of nature conveying wealth and sophistication. Screens remain popular today, adding a beautiful Japanese touch of elegance to any setting.
This is a time-honored traditional Japanese art form that is preserved by only a few master artisans today. At Fuji Arts we are excited to make these fantastic screens available to our discerning customers. They are truly some of the most beautiful we have come across in our travels.
We are very pleased to offer a selection of screens hand-crafted to the highest standards by an old Kyoto family that has passed this tradition down from generation to generation. These master craftsmen painstakingly build the screen's lightweight wooden frame, and then carefully stretch it with layers of paper to provide a smooth, taut surface for the painting. A shimmering gold or silver leaf background is applied to the surface, along with a beautiful silk brocade border. The frame is hand-lacquered in a process that takes many days.
Fuji Arts is working with two master artists in Kyoto who hand paint each design. Oh-en is ninety-four years old and has specialized in painting screens for decades. He says that painting gives him energy, so he wants to paint as long as possible. Shoraku Sanjin adds his own personality into each painting, creating a unique image every time. As with all hand painted works, each screen is a one of a kind masterpiece, so your screen may differ slightly from those shown.
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for a beautiful selection of Byobu Japanese Screens!
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