Anonymous: Scenes in and around Kyoto (17th century)

(Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA)

Two large six-panel folding screens made by unknown 17th century Japanse artists. Traditional Japanese homes don't have interior walls. Instead they changed the size of a room by altering the partitioning with for example folding screens. This folding screen is decorated with panoramic views of Kyoto, the capital of Japan from 794 through 1868. The top part shows Nijō Castle and the city’s western half, the lower part shows the eastern half of the city. The city is filled with men and women from all walks of life and various activities, including the famous summer Gion festival. Folding screens from the 17th century.