Hanging screen with scene of an elegant gathering

This large hanging screen depicts an elegant gathering scene of literati scholars and reclusive figures. A popular form of the Qing dynasty, this panel imitates a window through which one can view a remote place with figures in a garden setting. Blue lacquer was applied to represent the sky, the green lacquer was used to show the lake, and the ground along with trees and figures were rendered in red lacquer. Once hanging on a wall, this panel would convert a studio or living room into a space of solitude where one’s mind could travel to an immortal’s isle or an ideal retreat.