China, second half of the 19th century, A twelve-panel Coromandel lacquer screen with double-sided polychrome decoration on a light brown ground, depicting palace scenes and architectural views animated by figures; the outer edge is adorned with motifs of furnishings, whilst the reverse side depicts figures moving about within gardens, the side panels feature a design of facing dragons, whilst fantastical animals in the lower section complete the decoration. N.B. The screen features a flag above a dwelling bearing the effigy of the army commander during the war, along with calligraphic inscriptions reading ‘Fenyang Shimei ’, where Fengyang is the name of a town in Shanxi province and ‘shimei’ can mean ‘all generations are beautiful’. Signs of wear and damage Dimensions: 240 x 462 cm