Robert Winthrop Chanler, born in 1872 into the Astor family (one of America’s oldest and wealthiest), was a largely self-taught decorative artist, designer, and muralist. He created highly ornamental and decorative designs with sculpted gesso, gilded finishes, and transparent glazes, working with paintings, fresco murals, stained glass windows, and architectural interiors. His elaborate compositions featured fantastical avian, jungle, and aquatic creatures—many of which were overlaid with iridescent metallic finishes—yet his specialty was exotic and brilliantly colored, multi-paneled, lacquered screens.