Eastern Breezes : The Art of Folding Screens from China to Japan and Beyond

Originating in China and known in Japan since the 7th century, folding screens initially depicted landscapes and everyday scenes. However, after contact with the West, they left behind an almost photographic representation of the arrival of the Portuguese in Japan.

This book traces the history of folding screens from two perspectives: Chinese folding screens, then Japanese folding screens and their influence in the West. It also examines their transformation from practical household objects into artistic expressions rich in identity and aesthetics, from an exclusively Sino-Japanese craft to a creation adopted and reinterpreted by several countries, blending styles and influences, to ultimately become a refined decorative object found all over the world.