11/08/2026
This eight-panel folding screen depicts a banquet held in honour of Guo Ziyi (697–781), the celebrated general of China’s Tang dynasty(618 - 907).Renowned not only for his military achievements but also for his exceptional longevity(he lived to the age of 85) and for the prosperity of his descendants, Guo Ziyi came to embody ideals of generational flourishing, loyalty, and moral fortitude within Confucian thought. Over time, he was regarded as an auspicious figure associated with familial harmony, wealth, and happiness, and imagery celebrating his life became especially popular in 19th-century Joseon dynasty visual culture.
In this composition, he is shown presiding over a grand banquet, enjoying music and dance performances while surrounded by his extended family. The scene is enriched with auspicious motifs, pine trees, cranes, deers, and birds, which collectively reinforce themes of longevity, harmony, and prosperity. Carefully staged as an idealised vision of familial and social order, such screens functioned not merely as decoration but as The screen dates to the early– mid 19th century, and examples of this type are extremely rare. The composition, ex*****on, and refined handling of detail suggest that it was produced by court painters, with particularly accomplished brushwork evident in the depiction of facial expressions and the flowing drapery of the figures, indicating the hand of a master artist. The subtle use of gold in the architectural elements is consistent with courtly painting practices. The original silk framing of the screen is beneath a later applied figurative silk layer. The screen originally featured a rich burgundy silk mount with red and white supporting bands framing the painting, consistent with courtly presentations tandards.
