We are often asked about backing and mounting paintings.
Chinese paintings were traditionally mounted as scrolls (hanging scrolls or handscrolls), with silk borders.
Paintings could also be given a silk surround, and then mounted in a frame.
If not mounted, paintings should backed with another sheet of Chinese paper, to prevent them tearing. They are still flexible and can be stored flat or rolled.
Traditional methods:
- Video on backing by Henry Li
- A video made by the British Museum showing Qu Leilei’s paintings being mounted as traditional scrolls
Wet mounting is the traditional method, but dry mounting may be possible; have a look at these notes: Dry Mounting
There are a few places offering this service in UK & USA: some of these send the painting to China for mounting, so the service may be variable ort take a long time. Note also that there may be difficulties with international posting of items containing wood.
- Guanghwa (London) provides a Chinese painting mounting service; quotes are subject to sizes and materials. Mr Shou is a calligrapher who teaches there and mounts as well, and is still offering this service.
- Contact Wendy 0207 437 3737
- Email: info@guanghwa.com
- Louisa Yuen (Oriental Arts, Brighton)
- Chi Zhang (Edinburgh, Scotland)
- Campbells of London offers a mounting service including silk mounting.
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Blue Heron Arts (USA) offers scroll mounting, and does international shipping.
- Artistic Chinese Creations (USA) offers a custom mounting service (scroll or silk border, various colours): contact them for details. They do the mounting themselves in California.
- Chinese company INKSTON sells mounting materials.
If you can’t get your painting mounted as a hanging scroll, then try poster hangers. These top & bottom fixings come in a range of sizes and finishes, and often have convenient magnetic strips to hold the picture. The painting would need to be backed to make it strong enough to support the lower rail. There are many suppliers on the internet eg. Or you could make your own.
