A Japanese antique folding screen that was given to the College by exchange partner Kansai Gadai University in Osaka is on display in the Nott Memorial through March
6.
The seven- by ten-foot screen is an example of one of the most distinctive pieces of traditional Japanese furniture. Byobu — “barrier against the wind” — were used
as decorative backdrops for ceremonies, or for dividing space in large rooms. Although originally introduced from the continent with the transmission of Buddhism in the seventh century, by the tenth century Japanese visitors to China were offering Japanese byobu to
their hosts as gifts.
The 19th-century piece was presented to the College on Founders Day by Sadato Tanimoto, president of Kansai Gadai University in Osaka, Japan, with which the College has an exchange agreement. Union President Roger Hull accepted the gift during President
Tanimoto's recent visit to receive an honorary degree from the College.
The screen bears the signature of Kano Yoshinobu, who painted works for temples and shrines in Kyoto in the early nineteenth century. The painting contains popular symbols: bamboo of strength and resiliency, plum tree blossoms of new life, and cranes of
longevity, prosperity and happiness.
The paints used in the screen are all natural. The blue and green colors were made from powdered malachite and glue. The white is made from powdered clam shells. Gold powder is used in the background. The painting was done on a number of small sheets which were glued
together, one indication it is not a modern copy. The old wooden frame has been replaced by a new lacquered one. Metal fittings on the corners are original.