Striking, singular works of art incorporating many of the innovative techniques that developed during the Japanese Edo period serve as inspiration for the Byōbu Collection

From the snow-dusted flowers of early spring to the golden grasses of autumn, the natural beauty and rhythmic changing seasons of Japan have captivated its artists for centuries. It was during the prosperous Edo period (1603 – 1868) - one of the great ages of Japanese painting - when depictions of nature reached its zenith as new, exuberant styles of artistic expression flourished.

Upon the era’s famed byōbu, or folding screen, stylised scenes of land, sea, and sky came alive through vivid brushstrokes and layers of rich colour. Traditionally made of silk or paper, the screens provided vast decorative surfaces on which to paint, enabling the portrayal of large-scale subjects and dramatic landscapes. It is these striking, singular works of art, historically emblematic of affluence and sophistication, that serve as inspiration for the Byōbu Collection, de Gournay’s latest collection which launched at the 2024 edition of Paris Déco Off. Incorporating many of the innovative techniques that developed during the Edo period, the company’s own artists pay homage to the dynamic spirit of the original references, but unveil, too, a distinctive interpretation to chime within contemporary settings.

Amongst gently arching willow trees on gilded grounds, morning glory vines trailing on bamboo fences, and harvest moons glowing against midnight blue skies, a celebration of Japan’s flora and fauna and the fleeting evanescence of nature elegantly unfolds over ten exquisitely hand-painted and hand-embroidered designs.

To fully convey the story of the Byōbu Collection, de Gournay’s Paris apartment has been dramatically transformed to transport viewers on an enchanting journey through Japan’s ephemeral changing of the seasons. The apartment is elegantly designed to pay homage to the eclectic international style of the 20th-century design firm Maison Jansen, skilfully marrying European artistry with Anglo-Japonisme and Art Deco influences.

Cocooned in pale silks, soft, silvery metallics, and dramatically swagged satin curtains, one first enters an ode to Spring and Summer, a light and airy reverie of flowers in full bloom, delicate bamboo trellis, and native fauna like elegant long-necked cranes and red-billed magpies. From there, a transition from autumn to winter is revealed, a dark and moody autumnal tableau of wild grasses, harvest moons, and rich colour and texture. Designed to conjure an Art Deco era train car, the room’s wallpaper is overlaid with bespoke, crimson-painted treillage by Accents of France that evokes the traditional Japanese shoji screens seen at the pavilion of Elsie de Wolfe’s Villa Trianon, designed by Maison Jansen. Elsewhere, secret doors cleverly open to unveil a shimmering bar featuring an underwater scene hand-painted on a silver ombré ground. Simply stunning.