Four-Panel Painted Screen Depicting Boats and Riverside Figures

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This four-panel folding screen features a hand-painted riverside scene rendered in soft yet vibrant tones. Likely produced in the mid … Read more This four-panel folding screen features a hand-painted riverside scene rendered in soft yet vibrant tones. Likely produced in the mid to late 20th century, the work draws on earlier traditions of export painting, showing Chinese laborers in traditional dress loading a boat at the edge of a busy river, with European colonial-style buildings lining the opposite bank. Painted in an illustrative manner with visible craquelure throughout, the scene evokes a 19th-century view of river commerce in Canton or another port city involved in maritime trade. On the far right, a steam-powered paddleboat labeled "Spark" adds a historical anchor to the visual narrative, contrasting with the traditional sampans and covered boats depicted nearby.

Each of the four panels is painted on canvas mounted to wood and connected with brass hinges. The reverse side is finished in a neutral off-white tone, allowing the screen to be placed as a freestanding partition or flush against a wall. Ideal as a statement piece in a living room, study, or entryway, this painted screen balances visual storytelling with decorative impact. See less