Page 163 - 2020 October 8 HK Fine Classical Paintings

Striking for their imposing size, this pair of cabinets with open 十七世紀，工匠善用佳木良材，依其色澤紋理巧施造
shelves demonstrate the exceptional skill of 17th century 化，此對魁碩大櫃便是一例。櫃表紋飾素淨，僅亮格
furniture makers in their ability to take full advantage of the 作牙條造型，又鑲銅活，平添趣致。
vivid colours and patterns of precious hardwood.
This type of cabinets with multiple open shelves, known as 萬曆櫃為明式家具中之特別種類，因流行於萬曆年
Wanligui (Wanli period cabinets), is highly unusual. First
appearing in the mid- to late Ming dynasty, they were generally 間，故名。萬曆櫃結合櫥及櫃之結構，既實用也風
kept in the scholar’s studio, where their arrangement either 雅，深得文人士大夫青睞，常見於文士書齋，或並排
side by side or on opposite walls, created a visual symmetry 左右，或各倚一牆，講求視覺對稱，以合中式屋室陳
sought after in Chinese room design. The top shelves were 設之道。櫃頂層格可置書卷，可陳古玩，抽屜則收納
used for storing books and scrolls as well as treasured 筆墨紙硯，下方門櫃牢固，存放待客所用之茶具等易
antiques, while writing implements, such as brushes and ink,
were kept inside the drawers. The sturdier and enclosed lower 損什物尤宜。萬曆櫃頂設多層格者，稀見無多，而考
were on the other hand, used for storing more fragile objects 當時木刻版畫亦鮮見其例，故知珍罕。
or tea utensils that could be brought out in the presence of
guests. Referred to as lianggegui by modern cabinet makers, 書齋內陳列書籍，彰顯主人學識修為，頗受文士看
this type of bookshelf seldom appears on contemporary 重。明人高濂（1573-1620年）撰《遵生八箋》，萬曆
woodblock printed books, attesting to its rarity.
十九年（1591年）初刊，稱書格上應有儒家典籍、釋
The display and storage of books in the scholar’s studio was of 道名著、詩文名篇、醫散經典、法帖畫卷等。另一學
great importance as it was indicative of the level of education 者文震亨（1585-1645年）著《長物志》，強調書齋陳
and cultural refinement of the master of the house. The scholar
Gao Lian (1573-1620) in his Zun sheng bajian [Eight discourses 列「不宜太雜如書肆中」，可參考展覽圖錄《屏居佳
on the art of living], first published in 1591, mentions that 器：十六、十七世紀中國家具》，波士頓美術館，波
bookcases “should be used for placing one’s favourite books, 士頓，1996年，頁85。
which could be Confucian classics, poems, Buddhist scriptures
or for important medical literature and calligraphy”. For the 三層萬曆櫃極罕，群書未載其例，惟有一件與此對相
Ming dynasty scholar Wen Zhenheng (1585-1645), it was 類，尺寸較小，設兩層亮格，清宮舊藏，仍貯北京，
however important not to display too many books and scrolls
“otherwise the room looks like a bookstore” (Wen Zhenheng, 錄於王世襄，《明式家具珍賞》，倫敦，1986年，圖
Chang wu zhi [Treaties on superfluous things], translated in 版138。
the catalogue to the exhibition Beyond the Screen. Chinese
Furniture of the 16th and 17th Centuries, Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston, 1996, p. 85).
Cabinets with three open shelves are very rare and no other
closely related example appears to have been published.
This pair of cabinets share similarities with a smaller cabinet
fashioned with two open shelves from the Qing Court collection
and still in Beijing, illustrated in Wang Shixiang, Classic Chinese
Furniture. Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, London, 1986, pl. 138.

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