A six-panel folding screen on a gold leaf ground depicting a scene from The Tale of Genji - Paper, Gold leaf, Silk - Japan - Meiji period (late 19th century)

A six-panel Japanese byōbu decorated with pigments and gold leaf, depicting courtly scenes inspired by The Tale of Genji (源氏物語, Genji Monogatari). The composition unfolds across the screen with elegant aristocratic figures gathered within palace architecture and gardens, interspersed with stylized clouds executed in gold leaf.

The setting evokes an autumn atmosphere, with seasonal foliage and refined courtly activities typical of Heian-period narrative imagery. Architectural interiors open onto landscaped spaces with pines, maple trees and water, creating a continuous narrative populated by nobles and attendants engaged in courtly pursuits.

The gold clouds articulate the composition, separating and connecting the different episodes across the screen.

The screen is finished with silk borders and a lacquered wooden frame.

The screen can also be easily mounted on a wall or used as a room divider.

Byōbu (屏風), literally “wind protection screens,” are traditional Japanese folding screens originally created to divide spaces and today appreciated above all as striking wall-mounted paintings.

---The byobu is in good condition, with minor wear to the gold leaf and to the lacquered frame. Please refer to the pictures for further details.

The item will be carefully packed and shipped accompanied by the original certificate of authenticity issued by Mastromauro Japanese art gallery based in Milan, Italy.
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