Japanese Shoji Screens
In Asian décor in the east and west an item called a
Japanese Shoji Screen is used as either a room divider or a form of
decoration. A Japanese Shoji Screen is a room divider or door that is made
up of rice paper fitted to a wooden frame and are made to be light so as it
is easy to move them. These screens can be considered works of art because,
as with all Japanese art, these screens were built from the earth's natural
beauty. A Shoji screen was used as doors, room dividers, and as privacy
screens. Folding screens, like the Shoji Screen, was first introduced by
China around the 8th century A.D. China might have invented folding screens
but it was Japan who came up with the most popular variations of these
screens and introduced them to western countries.
Japanese Shoji screens come in different sizes and each size may serve a
different purpose. The use of the screen determined how many folds the
screen had. The following list is some of the different sizes of Shoji
Screens and what they were traditionally used for: * Small, two-fold, Shoji
screens: these screens were used for things like tea ceremonies. * Large,
eight-fold, Shoji Screens: These screens may have been used as the back
drops during dances. * Sliding Shoji Screens of all sizes were used for
doors and/or windows, so as to conserve space and keep with the simplistic
designs. * All sizes and forms of Shoji Screens were used as room dividers,
privacy screens, to separate interior and exterior rooms, and even used so
as to see the silhouettes of a garden or plants. * . These screens were even
used during Buddhist ceremonies.
Traditional Japanese Shoji Screens may have had artwork on them, symbolizing
the many Asian and/or Japanese traditions, legends, and the history. This
artwork was concentrated at the bottom of the screens because it was
customary that people would sit on the floor, so, naturally the artwork was
at eyelevel. The art was usually hand painted, and detailed, but still
minimal in design, because, all of Japanese art revolves around being
simple, natural, and calming
Around the 19th century, the western world began to take notice of the
Japanese Shoji Screens, thus began the modernization of the screen. As the
demand of Shoji Screens grew more people, who were not as skilled in
creating screens, started making them in Japan. The Shoji Screens were still
elegant and still had the Japanese design, but were becoming more like
Chinese screens. Newer materials and more ornate colors are now used to make
these screens because the western world is more relaxed when it comes to the
decoration of ones home. Japanese Shoji screens are still used as room
dividers, but, they are also used to decorate spaces, to hide things, and
maybe be used as window covers. The modern form of Shoji Screens are still
very light as to allow them to be moved whenever needed.
About the Author
Mike Zamora writes articles about Asian decor and privacy screens. Other information and articles published by the writer on the topic of shoji screens can be obtained on the web.
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