Page 21 - Fine Chinese Works of Art Bonhams Hong Kong May 2018

The present huanghuali kangzhuo is the culmination of the 炕桌黃花梨製，桌面打槽平鑲三板面心，下設三根穿帶支撐，抹頭可
development of Chinese classical furniture throughout the Ming 見明榫。邊抹冰盤沿打窪面向下內缩底壓窄線，高束腰，束腰及壺門
dynasty and onto the early Qing period, encapsulating the gradual 牙板鏟地浮雕如意捲草紋。炕桌四面紋飾一致，曲線靈動，線條流
evolvement in its form and both intricate and bold design. It 暢，雕工精湛。牙條以抱肩榫與腿相結合，腿部啟陽線與牙條鏈接，
demonstrates exceptional virtuosity in its craftsmanship and creativity 並鏤雕草葉捲球，下承方足，一木連作，設計精巧，極為少見。
of design.
炕桌為典型明式家具桌形之一，適用於席地而坐或用於炕上。此炕桌
The master craftsman superbly accomplished in his treatment of 承標準明代黃花梨炕桌之式，以精湛的雕刻技藝呈現出相對更為繁複
the legs a sense of robustness and boldness whilst masterfully 的紋飾及設計，是明代家具向清代過渡的特徵。
demonstrating his virtuosity in the openwork leaf design and use of
contrasting geometric forms of the encircled ball against the tapering 此炕桌一改傳統明代的三彎式足，在直式外翻馬蹄的基礎上雕刻圓
square pad foot. This remarkable feature though very rare, can be 珠，並以鏤雕手法雕捲葉將圓珠及抱肩榫相連，成捲球足，使整器顯
seen on a selected number of huanghuali tables: see from the Peter 得穩重而又不失華麗之感。此類鏤空葉紋捲球的設計在黃花梨家具中
Fung Collection, a low table with folding legs, kang 16th/17th century, 較為少見，設計極其優美。帶有類似足部設計的例子，見台灣國立歷
exhibited in the National Museum of History, Taipei and illustrated 史博物館曾展出一件十六/十七世紀黃花梨踏，著錄於《風華再現－明
in Splendor of Style: Classical Furniture from the Ming and Qing 清家具收藏展》，台北，1999年，頁116。另見一黃花梨折疊式踏，
Dynasties, Taipei, 1999, p.116; and a further example of a folding low 著錄於R.H.Ellsworth，N.Grindley和A.Christy《Chinese Furniture: One
table, kang, 1550-1600, illustrated by R.H.Ellsworth, N.Grindley and Hundred Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection》，
A.Christy, Chinese Furniture: One Hundred Examples from the Mimi 卷一，紐約，1996年，頁112-113，圖36；另見木趣居藏一件明晚期
and Raymond Hung Collection, vol.1, New York, 1996, pp.112-113, 黃花梨壺門牙子葉紋捲球足炕桌，著錄於《木趣居：家具中的嘉具》
no.36; another related example of a kang table, late Ming dynasty, ，上，北京，2017年，頁202-230。
but of less elaborate design, is illustrated by Grace Wu, The Best of
the Best: The MQJ Collection of Ming Furniture, vol.1, Beijing, 2017, 此炕桌束腰及壺門牙子上的捲草紋為明末清初黃花梨家具上常見紋
pp.202-230. 飾，如攻玉山房收藏一件明末清初黃花梨炕桌展腿式兩用方桌，見《
好古敏求：敏求精舍三十五週年紀念展》，香港，1995年，編號251
The prominent relief-carved lingzhi fungus scroll and sprays around ，頁279，後於香港蘇富比售出，2015年10月7日，拍品編號118。
the waist and aprons, can be seen on late Ming to early Qing dynasty 另見一件十七世紀黃花梨櫃，著錄於《Austere Luminosity of Chinese
huanghuali furniture, such as a summer-winter table, 17th century, Classical Furniture》，柏克萊，2001年，頁256，圖15.18。
from the Dr S.Y.Yip Collection, illustrated in In Pursuit of Antiquities:
Thirty-fifth Anniversary Exhibition of the Min Chiu Society, Hong Kong, 對比紐約佳士得曾售出一件十六/十七世紀黃花梨炕桌，尺寸稍小
1995, p.279, and later sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2015, （44.5厘米寛），為Marie Theresa L. Virata舊藏，足部無捲球設計，
lot 118; and a tapered cabinet with lattice, 17th century, illustrated by 紋飾也更為簡單，2017年3月16日，拍品編號650。
S.Handler, Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture, Berkeley,
2001, p.256, fig.15.18.

The round ball form over the square form of the pad feet may
represent the cosmology of the round heavenly realm and the square
earthly domain (tianyuan difang). The lingzhi fungus is associated with
the auspicious wish for long life. The elaborate design and imagination
demonstrated in the carving and decoration of the legs as well as
the waist and apron was due to the elevated position of the table,
bringing these details into full view. For further discussion about the
development of the kang table, see S.Handler, ibid., pp.161-179.

Compare a related but smaller huanghuali table, kangzhuo, 16th/17th
century (44.5cm wide), from the Marie Theresa L. Virata Collection,
which was sold at Christie’s New York, 16 March 2017, lot 650, with
less elaborate legs and plain frieze.

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