Mid 20th Century Monumental Chinese 6 Panel Hand-Painted Landscape Screen W/ Cranes & Calligraphy

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Description

Monumental Chinese Six-Panel Hand-Painted Landscape Screen with Cranes and Su Dongpo Calligraphy, Silk Brocade Mounted, circa 1955
A monumental and … Read more Monumental Chinese Six-Panel Hand-Painted Landscape Screen with Cranes and Su Dongpo Calligraphy, Silk Brocade Mounted, circa 1955
A monumental and highly refined six-panel Chinese folding screen (pingfeng), hand-painted in ink and watercolor on paper. and mounted within luxurious silk brocade borders over wooden panels, dating to the mid-20th century.

Spanning over twelve feet in width, this exceptional work unfolds as a continuous panoramic landscape, offering both visual grandeur and cultural depth.

Artistic Composition
The composition presents a serene and atmospheric shanshui (mountain-water) landscape, featuring:

Layered mountain ranges emerging through mist
A winding river with fishing boats
Lush foreground trees and distant village elements
A graceful flock of red-crowned cranes, symbolizing longevity, harmony, and nobility
Executed with confident brushwork and nuanced tonal washes, the painting achieves a luminous sense of depth and tranquility across all six panels.

Calligraphy & Literary Significance
Elegantly inscribed across the panels is the complete text of:

Su Shi (Su Dongpo, 1037–1101)
“Nian Nu Jiao · Chibi Huai Gu” (Reminiscence at Red Cliff)

One of the most celebrated works in Chinese literary tradition, reflecting on the passage of time, history, and the enduring power of nature.

The calligraphy is rendered in fluid running script (xing shu), demonstrating both technical control and expressive movement, seamlessly integrated into the landscape.

Artist & Inscription
Signed and sealed:

Yushan Jiang Shanzhu (玉山姜善珠)
Master of Ya Su Xuan Studio (雅素軒主人)
Dated:
乙未盛夏 — Summer of the Yiwei Year (circa 1955)

Additional inscription:
秋山見 — “Viewing the Autumn Mountains”

Multiple red seal impressions are present.

Ink and watercolor on paper and silk border
Traditional silk brocade mounting of fine quality
Wooden six-panel folding construction
Hand-applied seals
The refined brocade borders and balanced panel construction indicate a work intended for prominent interior display.

Very good vintage condition consistent with age:

Light foxing (age-related spotting)
Silk brocade borders well-preserved with minor wear
Colors remain vibrant
Structurally sound
Displays beautifully.

Height: 71 inches (185 cm)
Width: 143 inches (363 cm)
Depth: 1 inch
Originally acquired overseas in the 1950s and more recently purchased at an estate sale from a private collector of Asian antiques in Rolling Hills, California.

This screen functions as both fine art and a large-scale architectural focal element, ideal for:

Luxury residential interiors
Entry halls or great rooms
Interior designer installations
Collectors of Asian decorative arts
Its scale, painterly quality, and integrated literary content create a commanding yet refined presence.

Monumental Chinese folding screens combining hand-painted landscape, full poetic inscription, crane symbolism, and silk brocade mounting are increasingly scarce in today’s market.

This example offers a rare balance of visual impact, craftsmanship, and cultural resonance.

“A rare large-scale example with exceptional presence—far more impactful in person than photographs can fully convey.” See less