Large Chinese Hardwood Four-Panel Screen with Porcelain Plaques
Wu Yuming
Dated 2003

This impressive four-panel screen is inset with large porcelain plaques depicting the Four Seasons—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Each panel presents an elegant composition of birds and seasonal flowers, including peonies, lotus blossoms, chrysanthemums, bamboo, and flowering branches, rendered in vibrant enamel colors against a luminous white ground. Together, the four scenes form a complete seasonal cycle, celebrating the beauty and harmony of nature throughout the year.

The porcelain plaques are signed by Wu Yuming (吴裕铭) and dated to the Guiwei year, corresponding to 2003. Executed in a refined traditional manner, the paintings combine careful observation of nature with the decorative elegance long associated with Chinese bird-and-flower painting. The birds are animated and lifelike, while the flowers are rendered with remarkable attention to color, texture, and seasonal character.

Surrounding the porcelain plaques are elaborately carved hardwood frames featuring openwork scrolling foliage and traditional decorative motifs. The rich dark wood provides a striking contrast to the brilliant colors of the porcelain, enhancing both the visual impact and architectural presence of the screen.

Particularly noteworthy is the monumental scale of the work. Standing nearly eight feet high, the screen was clearly intended as an important decorative furnishing for a reception hall, large residence, or public interior. The production of a screen of this size required considerable skill in porcelain manufacture, painting, carving, and assembly. Equally impressive is its excellent state of preservation, with the porcelain panels retaining their bright colors and the hardwood framework remaining remarkably well preserved.

The theme of the Four Seasons has occupied a central place in Chinese decorative arts for centuries, symbolizing prosperity, renewal, longevity, and the cyclical order of nature. Combining large scale, fine craftsmanship, and vibrant decorative appeal, this screen represents an outstanding example of contemporary Chinese porcelain and hardwood craftsmanship.

{Overall Each Panel: H 93 1/2 x W 26 3/4 inches (237.5 x 68 cm)}.

For condition report, please contact the Asian Art Department.