Trevor Boyd, Corina E. Rogge, and Stephen Hanley
It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so objects that incorporate the traditions of one culture into the art of another through appropriation and reinterpretation of designs, materials and artistic traditions are highly illuminating. Such objects speak to aesthetic tastes, trade routes and transmission of goods and information, and socio-economic status signaling. Mexico was central to Spain’s transport of goods from Asia to Europe, and much wealth of those living in Viceregal territories derived from the transport of objects from Asia. These goods were high status luxury items in Mexico but were unaffordable for most of the population. As a result, locally made, less expensive objects imitating authentic Asian wares became popular. Amongst the most valued and coveted objects were Japanese and Chinese folding screens, known in Spanish as biombos, an adaptation of the Japanese words byo-bu, meaning ‘protection from wind.’
In 2021 the Museum of Fine Arts Houston acquired two 18th century six-panel painted wooden biombos that were made in Mexico and incorporate both European and Asian aesthetic influences. The biombos feature views of Mexico City, its environs, and people who lived there as they went about their daily lives. Many of the places and buildings are identified on the screens by name or description and although undated, comparison of the buildings depicted with historical information suggests a date of manufacture between 1742 and 1764. The people depicted are sometimes explicitly labeled with their profession and unlabeled persons can still be categorized socio-economically by their dress. These explicit and implied identifications reveal that the artist(s) were attempting to depict all members of society, not only the elite, and illustrate the diversity of the populace. Although the buildings and individuals are depicted in a European style, the background of the screens is bright red, imitating Asian cinnabar lacquer. The skies are filled with stylized local birds, including quetzal and parrots, which suggests a transliteration of the traditional phoenixes used on Asian goods into the local aesthetic vernacular. As phoenixes represent the empress and femininity in Asia, the birds could also suggest the screens were intended for feminine household domains.
While visual analysis shows the trans-cultural intersectionality of the aesthetics of the biombos, little is known about their materiality and construction. In addition to incorporating Asian motifs, are materials such as urushi lacquer present? Were the pigments locally sourced in Mexico? How were the screens constructed? There is also the issue of how the structure of the biombos has been altered over time; these functional objects have survived hundreds of years and, like many furniture items, have undergone campaigns of repair. To better understand and appreciate the biombos, a complete technical study was undertaken, including pigment and media analysis, x-radiography, infrared reflectography, and x-radiography. These results are being used to inform treatment decisions and help decipher the history of these unique objects which served as symbols of the rise of a new Mexican cultural and economic expansion.