Three-panel screen, upholstered in Verdure style, 1950s – France

Exceptional folding screen with three panels, upholstered in greenery style, 1950s. The greenery style (from the French "verdure" or "green") is a type of textile art that reached its peak in the 16th and 17th centuries. It is characterised by natural themes, lush landscapes, a predominance of the colour green in a wide variety of tones, and often small figures of birds or animals among the vegetation. The vegetation and natural landscape are the absolute protagonists. This style mainly appeared in Flanders (Belgium), particularly in cities like Oudenaarde, and then in France, in the famous workshops of Aubusson and Lille. They were considered luxury items, commissioned by the aristocracy to decorate and insulate their castles and palaces from the cold. Today, the term is still used to describe textiles and wallpapers inspired by these classic patterns.