Page 80 - Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Christie's Hong Kong May 29, 2019

3124 Continued
Of massive rectangular form, the two-sectioned cabinet is 此櫃分上下兩部，上為透格層，活動式閂杆旁兩扇可拆卸的櫃
constructed from huanghuali panels of beautiful graining and 門及櫃幫均以短材攢接成冰裂紋。櫃身裝有白銅長方形合葉與
rich amber tone. The upper section is enclosed by ‘ice-crackled’
lattice work panels, and the front removable panel doors open 面葉，三個方形鈕頭與吊牌。下層櫃身裝活動式閂杆，兩扇櫃
to reveal a single shelf with a removable centre stile. The 門可拆卸。 櫃內中央有一格板裝兩具抽屜。門下與兩側安壼門
lower section below has removable rectangular panel doors 牙條。
also fitted with a removable centre stile and the doors open to
reveal the shelved interior with two drawers. The legs are of 櫃子上層的透格門板，其幾何花樣源自南方園林中窗櫺的設計，
rectangular section and are joined by curvilinear aprons and 載於明代園林建築設計鉅作《園冶》。《園冶》於崇禎 4 年（1631
spandrels along the bottom. 年）成稿，為活躍於萬曆至崇禎年間的著名南方造園家計成
The unparalleled design of the of the openwork decorating （1582-1642）集其畢生經驗而成的重要造園理論著作，附詳盡
the sides of the upper section of the cabinet was inspired 插圖，在南方家具設計上亦見其深遠影響。
by lattice panels decorating the greatly admired gardens
of Southern China as illustrated in one of the earliest 《園冶》曰：「冰裂式，冰裂惟風窗之最宜者，其文致減（簡）
publications of Chinese garden-scape designs known as 雅，信畫如意，可以上疎下密之妙」（圖一）此設計的雅致美觀，
the Yuanye. Dated to 1631, the Yuanye was published by the 大方線條可以如寫意畫般隨意發揮，同時亦巧妙運用昂貴材料
famous garden architect Ji Cheng (1582-1642) who was active 黃花梨以創最極致的美感。當光線從櫺格中穿透而出，如天光
from Wanli to Chongzhen periods in Southern China. This
published masterpiece of garden design literature combined 雲影，足見中國古典家具的巧思。
architectural principles and decorative features through its 飾以幾何紋的櫃格存世品極少，更難得精妙設計如本拍品可以
detailed descriptions and illustrations. The manuscript greatly 「一櫃兩用」。本拍品上層的透格門板及閂杆均可活動，拆卸
influenced the designs of furniture in Southern China.
後櫃子成亮格櫃展示藝術品，情調高雅，富麗堂皇。需要時把
The openwork design on the panels of the cabinet is known as 櫃門裝上，搖身一變成美輪美奐的方角櫃，並可以上鎖確保安
binglieshi, ‘ice-crackled’ decoration in the Yuanye (fig. 1), where 全。
it is described as ‘the best design for a window panel for the
simple yet most elegant lines. The arrangement of this pattern 存世的黃花梨幾何紋飾透櫺格櫃，本拍品屬孤品。見一個上下
is as versatile as a painting’. This clever design can maximise 兩層均以透欞格構建的櫃子的線描圖，載於《明式家具研究》，
a dramatic visual effect from the minimum use of expensive
huanghuali wood. When light is shone on the openwork panels, 香港，1990 年，第二冊，頁 145，D11。此類櫃子均以非硬木製
the projecting shadows produce an intricate network of 作，因透氣性佳而在蘇州地區用以儲存食物；王世襄提出，此
reflected light. 樣式如本拍品般以硬木製作，乃用以存放書籍及精緻玩意兒。
Elegant and finely decorated huanghuali display cabinets with 參閱前揭書，頁 142-149 比較櫃格的不同種類及區別。
latticework are extremely rare. It is exceptionally remarkable
to find such an ingeniously designed cabinet as the current
example which seemingly has a dual-function with its
removable front door panels as well as its removable central
stile. The upper unit is lockable so that when the door panels
and stile are installed it is transforms into a neatly formed
closed cabinet hiding the contents within. However, if the
panels and the stile are removed, precious objects could be
stored on the exposed shelves such as those displayed in a
typical liang’ge gui, square-corner display cabinet, for example
the pair of display cabinets from the Dr Sam and Annette
Mandel Collection, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November
2012, lot 2018.
No other example of this type of cabinet appears to have been
published. A drawing of a related cabinet constructed entirely
of openwork lattice panels is illustrated by Wang Shixiang in
Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing
Dynasties, vol. 2, Hong Kong, 1990, p. 145, D11. The published
cabinet is said to be made of softwood and was more likely for
domestic use in the storage of food as the lattice-work permits
ventilation. Hardwood cabinets, however, were more likely for
the storage of books and small objects as mentioned by Wang
Shixiang, refer to ibid., p. 142-149 for illustrations of various
types of general display cabinets.

fig. 1
圖一