Georgian-earliest Victorian era penwork face screen (single, painted on both sides). c. 1770-1830s, British. Fabulous one, Chinoise, exotic scenes with camel procession, pagoda and elaborately beautiful florals, motifs creating broad borders. They are ink painted, "penwork" on thin board of maple or sycamore (light wood). The handle is superb, lathe-turned and ebonized. A hand held fire screen, these are face screens. Normally they were made with a matching pair, but this one has lost its mate over the centuries. Elaborate works of art, we think of these as women's art, as most face screens were crafted, embroidered, beaded by women. A tool to decorate a well-appointed home, and to protect a visitor's face from becoming blushed by the heat of a big open fireplace. This offering is for 1 face screen, one side with a camel procession and the other with a Chinoise landscape. Full measurements noted on photos.
Very good to excellent condition, I think perhaps tip of upper inside of corner edging might have been chipped at some time, but the same one on the other end has been carved to match so it's still symetrical. I'm not positive it was planed this way, but I would think it would have originally matched the border outline across the bottom of the screen. Handle is affixed and undamaged. Gorgeous for display, wall art, or to use.
