The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 12, 2026

An ornate, octagonal table screen features a painted enamel scene of Western figures in a grassy landscape framed by gold scrolling patterns. Two men stand at the left, while a woman sits on a white horse on the right, surrounded by attendants. This central panel contrasts with a dark, heavily carved stand featuring dense, swirling cloud patterns. Vibrant blue and white clouds fill the sky above the green, tree-lined meadow.

Screen with European Figures (obverse) and Landscape (reverse) with Stand

1736–95

China, Beijing palace workshops, Qing Dynasty

(1644-1911), Qianlong reign (1736-1795)
painted enamel, glass painting, and cast-iron stand
Painting only: 35.7 x 32.4 cm (14 1/16 x 12 3/4 in.); height with stand: 65.8 cm (25 7/8 in.); screen only: 44.3 x 47.6 x 1.5 cm (17 7/16 x 18 3/4 x 9/16 in.)
Severance and Greta Millikin Collection 1964.243
Location: 240B Chinese Decorative Arts(not visible)

Did You Know?

The screen is balanced on a heavy cast-iron base.

Description

On the obverse side of this two-sided table screen is an enamel-painted copper plaque with European figures. The image is probably derived from prints. European enamelware was introduced to China through missionary-artists at the Beijing court and foreign trade in Guangzhou.

On the reverse side is a glass painting of architectural landscape in the Chinese style. At the Qing court, imperial commands made possible artistic collaboration and the incorporation of different artistic expressions in a single artwork.
  • John L. Severance [1863–1936], Cleveland, OH, by descent to Severance and Greta Millikin
    ?–1964
    Severance A. [1895–1985] and Greta [Marguerite Steckerl] Millikin [1903–1989], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1964–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Catalogue of the Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1990. Mentioned: cat. no. 190
    Cleveland Museum of Art. The CMA Companion: A Guide to the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2014. Mentioned and reproduced: pp. 110–111
  • The Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 5-September 2, 1990).
  • {{cite web|title=Screen with European Figures (obverse) and Landscape (reverse) with Stand|url=false|author=|year=1736–95|access-date=12 April 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1964.243