An exquisite and large six-panel byôbu 屏風 (room divider) with a refined continuous Rinpa School-style painting on goldish silver leaf of a luscious flower garden at the bend of a winding river and surrounded by a fence. Various bunches of red, yellow and white chrysanthemum flowers 菊 (kiku) bloom around the river bend with several different types of flowers, like blue bell flowers 桔梗 (kikyô) and yellow asters 野菊 (nogiku), sprouting in between. In the foreground this flower garden is surrounded by a wicker-work fence. Thick packs of clouds loom around this scene at the top and bottom. There is a lot of dynamic in the goldish shades on the silver leaf background, which gives a lot of extra character to the clouds. The flowers are painted by using shell paste 胡粉 (gofun) in low relief. The serene touch of the painting is reminiscent of the style of the Rinpa School. In Japan chrysanthemums are believed to represent happiness, love, longevity and joy. The panels are surrounded by two silk borders, a thin brown one, and a wide black one. Both decorated with a flower and foliage design. The screen is protected black lacquer wooden frame with its original hardware. Period: Japan - Late Edo period (First half 19th century). Dimensions: Total width: 369.4 cm. (2 x 62.9 cm and 4 x 60.9 cm); Height: 171.3 cm. Considering the age, which is approximately 170(!) years old the byôbu is in a very good condition. It has some signs of age, wear and old restorations. Please take a close look at the photos for a clear condition reference. This room divider is light in weight and can also be easily mounted flat on a wall and presented as one piece of art. The Rinpa School was a key part of the Edo period revival of indigenous Japanese artistic interests described by the term yamato-e. Paintings, textiles, ceramics, and lacquerwares were decorated by Rinpa artists with vibrant colours applied in a highly decorative and patterned manner. Favoured themes, which often contained evocative references to nature and the seasons, were drawn from Japanese literature, notably The Tale of Genji, The Tales of Ise, and Heian-period poems composed by courtiers. (From the MET museum, New York). When shipped we will add a certificate of authenticity.