Page 154 - Christie's Fine Chinese Paintings March 19 2019 Auction

PROVENANCE
First: Nicholas Grindley, London, 1993.
Second: Grace Wu Bruce, Hong Kong.
The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Fine and Important Classical Chinese Furniture,
Christie’s New York, 20 September 2002, lot 31.
Nicholas Grindley, London, 2002.
EXHIBITED
Second:
Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1990 - 1991.
Hong Kong, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 20 September
- 24 November 1991.
Singapore, National Heritage Board, Asian Civilisations Museum, 1996 - 1999.
London, Institute of Contemporary Arts, 18 - 26 November 1999.
LITERATURE
Second:
Min Chiu Society, Selected Treasures of Chinese Art: Min Chiu Society Thirtieth
Anniversary Exhibition, Hong Kong, 1990, pl. 260.
Grace Wu Bruce, Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and Romance with Huanghuali
Wood: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong,
1991, pp. 36-39, no. 8 (and front cover).
Yip Shing Yiu, “Collecting Ming Furniture of Huang Hua-Li Wood,” Arts of Asia,
XXI:3 (May-June 1991), pp. 119-24.
Sarah Handler, “The Dr. S Y Yip Collection,” Journal of the Classical Chinese
Furniture Society, Autumn 1991, p. 11, fgs. 1 and 1 a.
There appear to be only three known examples of this specifc design of
armchair. The present pair represents two of the three known examples. The
third example was sold at Christie’s New York, 20-21 March 2014, lot 2290.

The present pair is a very rare variation on the more commonly seen rose
chair. Unlike the standard rose chair (meiguiyi) which has straight top rails
and arms, the present pair features high, curved top rails and elegantly
S-curved arms, and stretchers of conforming shape. These design elements
are more commonly found on the more grand ‘Oficial’s hat’ armchairs
(guanmaoyi). Another rare feature of the present pair are the fnely carved
openwork, slightly curved panels joining the vertical rear posts. Intricately
carved with confronting chilong amidst leafy lingzhi stems, the panels
beautifully complement the openwork struts carved with an animated
chilong.

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