screen

The late-16th century was the golden age of Japanese screen painting, both literally and figuratively. The Momoyama period (1573-1615) was also an age of monumental architecture, with feudal lords building forts and castles of a size unprecedented in Japan. The great masters of the art of screen painting who were called upon to decorate the interiors of these large buildings filled them with screens of bold and innovative aesthetics, some with gold leaf covering their entire surfaces. Japan had a well-established tradition of incorporating gold leaf into art and decorative work.

The gift of a single poster has swelled into a respected and comprehensive collection of more than 25,000 rare film posters, lobby cards, and photographs, resulting in what is now the Separate Cinema Archive. Started in 1972 and collected and maintained by the archive’s founder and professional photographer, John Kisch, the collection chronicles the historic and blustery journey of the Black film industry, Black actors and directors, and the struggle for African-American equality. Kisch collaborated with film historian Dr. Edward Mapp to create this companion book for the Archive in 1991.