Page 119 - Bonhams Chinese Art NYC Nov 9 2017

Square tables, such as the present lot, also
known as ‘Eight, Six or Four Immortals table’,
depending on the number of people that
could sit around it, were moved frequently
and were in constant use and thus had to be
structurally robust. This gave rise to square
tables with humpback stretchers and corner
spandrels which provided additional support,
whilst providing ample leg room for those
seated around it. The unusual three-spandrel
construction supporting the corners of the
table-top most probably evolved from the
brackets supporting the roofs of buildings;
see S.Handler, Ming Furniture in the Light of
Chinese Architecture, Berkley, 2005, p.163,
and Grace Wu Bruce, Two Decades of Ming
Furniture, Beijing, 2011, p.27.

Compare with a very similar huanghuali square
table, Ming dynasty, in the Palace Museum,
Beijing illustrated by Hu Desheng, Ming
Qing gongting jiaju daguan, Beijing, 2006,
p.158, no.160; a very similar square table,
circa 1550-1600, in the Victoria and Albert
Museum, London, is illustrated by C.Clunas,
Chinese Furniture, 1997, p.57, pl.46; and
see also a further example, Ming dynasty,
illustrated by Grace Wu Bruce, ibid., p.25.

THE MARCHESE AND MARCHESA
TALIANI DE MARCHIO COLLECTION | 117