ten-panel Coromandel screen, unknown maker from China

This Chinese folding screen embodies the history of global trade in the early modern world. Known as “Coromandel,” screens such as these were named for a port on the southeast coast of India and transported along a maritime trade route that linked Asia with Europe. Demand for Coromandel screens emerged in 17th-century Europe along with the popularity of decorative styles such as chinoiserie, characterized by the appropriation of Chinese motifs into Western decorative art. The demand continued to grow well into the 19th century. Beginning with a procession on the left, the screen depicts a large group that has gathered for a festive celebration. Guests are engaged in activities such as dancing, playing chess, and making music. The screen is adorned with many auspicious symbols—mythic beasts along the bottom, antiques along the top, and dragons along the sides. At one time, this would have been used for a birthday celebration in China. However, in the West, these screens lost their original meanings. Disregarding their content, contemporary owners cut and reshaped them to decorate walls and embellish other furniture. Although the European consumption of Coromandel screens indicates a profound interest in life beyond their own continent, these screens were adapted to suit the vocabulary of western interior design, and it was through this vocabulary that western audiences used and appreciated them.