Folding screen

China

late 17th century

Huanghuali hardwood, ink and color on silk

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A large, multi-panel folding screen made of wood and silk, decorated with painted scenes and intricate carvings. Monumental twelve-panel screens became fashionable during the Kangxi reign (1662–1722), when they served as backdrops for formal gatherings. Each of the hinged panels framed a painting or calligraphy. In this example, the panoramic scene depicts a son’s capping ceremony, his official graduation to adulthood, in the landscaped garden of an aristocratic villa. The painting combines figures with scenery and architecture. The realism and quality of detail in the painting is remarkable. There is a good deal of valuable information about architecture, costume, and accoutrements of the inner quarters. The open carving is finely finished on