Chinese Double Sided Embroidered Silk Screen

his Chinese Silk Table Screen features a hand-embroidered double sided silk panel depicting a river landscape with a boat and bridge. The embroidery is encased in glass and framed in Rosewood with intricate fretwork carving. The silk panel is designed to pivot within the stand, thus showing the same location as if approaching from opposite sides. 

Dating back to the Song Dynasty (960 AD - 1279 AD) the art of double sided silk embroidery is long revered, and their production is in the care of highly skilled artists who train for a lifetime. To create the double sided images, one artist must embroider with multiple threads on both sides of the screen simultaneously, generally without seeing the back image to be efficient in time, relying on sense memory to know how long to make a stitch and where the needle should be introduced to return to the front. The most talented and experienced produce images that are identical, in reverse. 

This silk screen embroidery was made in the early to mid 20th century, as it was made to be a presentation gift and comes in its original case. 

This piece is a prime example of this style of art, and is well above standard. 
- The images are nearly identical with the only difference between the two is subtle in the waves of the boat and the white of the clouds. 
- Many embroideries keep a simple color palette, with stark delineation between colors. This piece shows a superb ability to blend and shade creating a richer image. 
- Screens are created in many sizes, most being 15” tall, or smaller. This piece is 24” tall. 
-A skilled artist creates the frame. This piece shows intricate fretwork, that is visually harmonious as it is balanced, consistent and symmetrical. 
stand

Dimensions:
Overall: 23.5” wide x 24” tall x 7” deep
Embroidery: 15.25” wide by 11.5” tall by 0.75”deep