The Folding Screen

From its simple roots as a room divider, the folding screen has evolved into a wonderful fusion of fine and applied arts. As both a practical object of furniture and a work of fine art, it became a medium that could reflect the changing styles and fashions of art and design. This fascinating study traces the development of the folding its conception in the Orient during the eighth century, to its appropriation by Europeans in the sixteenth century, right up to the current day. With over 150 illustrations, this book depicts the intriguing role of the screen through history.

Many leading figures in the world of art and design have adapted the screen as a medium since the turn of the twentieth century, and The Folding Screen is the first book to give due attention to the most recent work in this area. Artists such as Odilon Redon, Josef Hoffmann, and Alphonse Mucha are all featured, as are the pioneering designers Eillen Gray, Donald Deskey, and Charles Eames. The tradition of the screen continues to the present day with the contributions of such artists as Jim Dine, Allen Jones, Danny Lane, and Kenneth Armitage.

From the height of the screen's popularity during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to its current resurgence in urban lofts and studio apartments, The Folding Screen examines the numerous and changing interpretations of this versatile piece of furniture.

Charles Hemming is a decorative artist who paints screens for international clients and contemporary interior designers. He is also the prize-winning author of a number of books on British painting.

Mark Aldbrook is a decorative furniture specialist based in London. He has been a dealer of both antique and modern screens for 10 years.