"Southern Barbarians Come to Trade," attribted to Kano Naizen, courtesy Christie's

Today Christie’s sells a selection of Japanese artworks, a poignant reminder of the country’s rich cultural heritage coming in the wake of Japan’s recent national disaster.

The sale’s highlight is pair of twelve-foot wide gold-leaf six-paneled screens, attributed to Kano Naizen – who died in 1616 – titled Southern Barbarians Come to Trade. The screens had been in storage for 400 years, according to Christie’s, and never previously published.

The subject matter is commerce between the East and West circa 1600. By 1542, Portuguese traders were profiting by exchanging Chinese silk for Japanese silver. These foreign merchants were the Southern Barbarians referred to in the title.

The screen’s pre-sale estimate is unpublished, but is in the region of $4 million according to Christie’s.