乾隆石屏风

Lost to time, a magnificent Imperial Screen stood before you, the Qianlong Stone Screen, a silent witness to centuries past. This isn’t its original home. The Qianlong Stone Screen now resides in the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art in Oak Brook, Illinois. But its journey began in 1791, a gift crafted during the Qianlong Emperor’s reign, a period spanning an incredible sixty years. He was the fourth emperor of the Qing dynasty, his time marked by military prowess and cultural flourishing. This screen, the Qianlong Stone Screen, reflects that era’s artistry. Imagine it in its original setting, a centerpiece of imperial splendor. The screen traveled a long way to its current home. It journeyed to the United States for the 1939 World’s Fair in San Francisco. For a time, only one side of the Qianlong Stone Screen was displayed. Now, both sides can be admired. Ten sections of rosewood frame the screen. These frames hold panels of cinnabar lacquer, adorned with intricately carved stone elements. The reverse side? Black lacquer, embellished with gold-painted imagery. The craftsmanship is breathtaking. Each mitered tenon in the frame is a dry fit, a testament to the skill of the artisans. The Qianlong Stone Screen is a masterpiece of multiple mediums. Wood, lacquer, precious stones, all combined to create a stunning work of art. Conservators worked meticulously to restore the Qianlong Stone Screen. They cleaned it, stabilized the frame, and recreated missing elements using castings of the existing carvings. The vibrant colors of the lacquer and the intricate details of the stonework now shine anew, revealing the true splendor of the Qianlong Stone Screen.