The Art of Japanese Screens and Furnishings

OPENING 24 NOVEMBER 16.00
Milan, via G.B. Morone, 6



View the screens >>

The cosmopolitan love of three well-established galleries in London and Milan for the superb quality of antique furnishings is giving the city of Milan the chance to see around forty Japanese screens of exceptional refinement. This is a unique opportunity for collectors, designers and interior decorators to acquire surprising and yet unseen pieces of decoration.

The gallery Mazzoleni Arte, directed by Valeria Mazzoleni, the gallery Old English Furniture, belonging to Pier Giorgio and Luca Gracis, and the London gallery Gregg Baker Asian Art, have created and supported this ambitious initiative in order to offer the Italian public at large the opportunity to enjoy a range of antiques that differ greatly from the more common ethnic variety since they are pieces of antique furnishing which possess a more universal style - the very taste which influenced Art Nouveau, Art Déco and the flowery styles of the 1970s.

The exhibition is being hosted in Valeria Mazzoleni's gallery - a space that has already hosted exhibitions of art from outside the boundaries of the European continent. The exhibition is the idea of Luca Gracis who works in London and Milan in the field of English furniture and who has chosen Gregg Baker for his specialization in Japanese art as the most suitable approach to the refined tastes of Italian collectors.

There are around forty pieces in the exhibition in a variety of sizes that are suited to all living spaces and fit all furnishing styles (from 65 x 90 cm to 170 x 376 cm).

The pieces on offer are mainly from the Edo Period (1615-1868) from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They are all decorated in a profusion of gold-leaf with animals, branches and coloured flowers. There are, however, also pieces from the Meiji-Taisho and Taisho-Showa Period of the 20th century with sparse decorations of butterflies and green shoots on long white backgrounds.

In particular, a pair of panels in the exhibition is of notable historic importance in that it is linked to the Shogunate of Tokugawa who was the first military governor of Japan at the beginning of the 17th century. Finally, there are some statues and vases in bronze and wood in the shape of plants, animals, frogs and turtles as well as pieces of furniture such as a red-lacquered coffee table.

Screens are an ancient form of furnishing which have enjoyed consistent and continuous popularity all over the world as well as in Italy.

However, we have most probably not seen such precious screens, in such good condition, in our galleries in Italy for some time.

The decoration on these imported items is without doubt what has been missing in our homes - that element which has universal taste and appeal yet remains both exotic and refined. They are incluttered and easy to manage, their images emanate a sense of tranquillity and elegance and their colours are immediately appealing. The pieces range from a cost of 15.000 to 20.000 euro, with some items as low as 5.000 euro and some peaking at 90.000 euro.

Reference:

Mazzoleni Arte
Via G.B. Morone, 6
20121 Milan Italy
Tel. +39 02 795 026
Fax. +39 02 780 348
E-mail: mazzolenivaleria@hotmail.com


Old English Furniture Antiques
di Pier Giorgio & Luca Gracis
Via San Simpliciano, 6
20121 Milan Italy
Tel. +39 02 877 807
Fax. +39 02 878 353
E-mail: gracis@gracis.com
www.gracis.com

 

The Exhibition:

Ref. SOR DM

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with a gnarled sakura (cherry) tree in full bloom on a grassy knoll.
 
Ref. 4846

A four-fold silk screen painted in ink and colours on a speckled gold ground with roosters, hens and chicks amongst kiku.
 
Ref. 5091

A two-fold silk screen painted in ink and colour on a buff ground with two young bijin (beauties) beside a palanquin and beneath a flowering sakura (cherry tree).
 
Ref. 5240

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with finches, suzume (sparrows) and hiyadori (brown eared bulbul) in a river landscape with plum, bamboo and flowers.
 
Ref. 5317

A paper furosaki screen painted in ink on a gold ground with scholars seated beside a hut on a rocky outcrop set in a river landscape with boats and pavilions.
 
Ref. 5336

A paper furosaki screen painted in ink and colour on a buff ground with cresting waves in a roundel on each panel.
 
Ref. 5337

A paper furosaki screen painted in ink and colour on a buff ground with cresting waves in a roundel on each panel.
 
Ref. 5357

A paper furosaki screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with birds, a snow covered shidare-zakura (weeping cherry) and daffodils in a river landscape in early spring.
 
Ref. 5360

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink on a gold ground with a taki (waterfall).
 
Ref. 5454

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with suzume (sparrows) and take (bamboo).
 
Ref. 5455/6

A pair of six-fold paper screens painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with kachoga (birds and flowers).
 
Ref. 5487

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with a pheasant perched on the gnarled branch of a snow covered kashiwa no ki (Japanese oak).
 
Ref. 5507/8

A pair of six-fold paper screens painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with kiku (chrysanthemum) and take (bamboo) amongst stylised clouds and mist.
 
Ref. 5524

A furosaki paper screen painted in ink and colour on a buff ground with butterflies amongst various autumn flowers and plants including kiku (chrysanthemum), susuki (pampas grass) and hagi (bush clover).
 
Ref. 5526

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a buff and gold ground with take (bamboo) and botan (peony).
 
Ref. 5534-5535

A pair of six-fold paper screens painted in ink and colour on a buff ground with various autumnal plants including susuki (pampas grass), hagi (bush clover) and rose mallow.
 
Ref. 5549

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with a flower cart on a knoll beside a river. The basket on the cart is filled with spring flowers such as fuji (wisteria) and botan (peony).
 
Ref. 5567

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with the moon behind golden clouds and kiku (chrysanthemum) amongst autumn grasses.
 
Ref. 5575

A six-fold paper screen painted in alum on a silver ground with autumn grasses.
 
Ref. 5582

A paper furosaki screen painted in ink, colour and gold on a buff ground with a maple tree.
 
Ref. 5586

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with a bamboo grove amongst clouds.
 
Ref. 5588

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold and silver ground with precious objects.
 
Ref. 5598 - 5599

A pair of 6-fold screens painted in ink and color on a buff ground with hawks on perches with jesses. Each bird is shown in individual panels bordered with gold leaf embossed with the Tokugawa mon.
 
Ref. 5632

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a buff and gold wash ground with kiku (chrysanthemum) and autumn grasses.
 
Ref. 5633

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a buff and gold wash ground with kiku (chrysanthemum) and autumn grasses.
 
Ref. 5636

A six-fold paper screen painted in ink on a hakura (gold under silk) ground with a gnarled pine tree.
 
Ref. 5640

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a buff ground with sparrows in flight above pine trees.
 
Ref. 5656 - 5657

A pair of 6-fold screens painted in ink and color on a buff ground with hawks on perches with jesses. Each bird is shown in individual panels bordered with gold leaf embossed with the Tokugawa mon.
 
Ref. 5683

A two-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a buff ground with several sparrows perched in the branches of a fruit laden kaki (persimmon) tree.
 
Ref. 5684

A six fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with a red sun.
 
Ref. 5687

An unusual six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with six individual botan (tree peony), a plant associated with the height of summer.
 
Ref. 5688

An unusual six-fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with six individual botan (peony), a plant associated with the height of summer.
 
Ref. 5689

A six fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with karako (Chinese boys) at play in and around a river-side pavilion which sits in a rocky landscape amongst golden clouds.
 
Ref. 5690

A six fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with karako (Chinese boys) at play in and around a river-side pavilion which sits in a rocky and mountainous landscape amongst golden clouds.
 
Ref. 5691

A paper furosaki screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with autumn leaves.
 
Ref. 5692

A six fold paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold and buff with silver sunago (sprinkled foil) ground.
 
Ref. 5695/6

A pair of two fold paper screens painted in ink and colour on a buff ground with egrets in a river beside bamboo and a boat.
 
Ref. 5703

A paper furosaki screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with a scene from the Tale of Genji.
 
Ref. 5704

A furosaki paper screen painted in ink and colour on a gold ground with the summer flowers kakisubata (iris), take (bamboo), nadeshiko (fringed pinks) and botan (peony) on a grassy knoll beside a rock.