North German, 18th century, Six-fold chinoiserie screen. Photo Freeman's

painted and japanned, the reverse of each fold painted with similar scenes on a cream ground; each panel: 240 by 55.5cm., 94½ by 22in. Estimation 8,000 — 12,000 GBP

Provenance: Pelham Galleries, London, 22 January 1990

Comparative Literature: Hans Huth, Lacquer of the West, London, 1971, pp. 63-85.

The charming chinoiserie decoration on this screen reflects the great enthusiasm in Europe for oriental wares from the second half of the 17th century. Its decoration with pagodas and figures in a landscape in vibrant colours on a dark ground on one side is in imitation of Chinese Coromandel lacquer screens. The Chinese lacquer screens were expensive and highly sought after and European craftsmen started to imitate them in the chinoiserie style such as the present example which has a European outline with its arched crestings.

A Dutchman Jan Nieuhof, following an ambassadorial visit to China, produced a series of drawings which were made into engravings and subsequently published in 1669. In the 17th century, Berlin was the foremost lacquer centre in Germany followed by Dresden. The leading lacquermaster there was Martin Schnell, who had worked in the workshop of Gérard Dagly a leading lacquermaster, in around 1703.

Another Dresden lacquermaster was Christian Reinow listed as employed by the Court in 1717. He is known to have worked for Augustus the Strong's Green Vault of the Treasure House. Furthermore at Schloss Nymphenburg, Max III Joseph (1745-1777), Max Emmanuel's grandson, had a corner room refurbished with Coromandel screens and they were supplemented by lacquer panels executed by Johannes Georg Höringer.

Freeman's. ASIAN ARTS. Saturday, March 15 at 10am - www.freemansauction.com