Page 104 - Bonhams, The H Collection, Classical Chinese Furniture, May 13, 2021 London

Woodblock illustration from ‘Journey
to the West’ Xiyou Ji (1573-1619)
《西遊記》插圖版畫，1573-1619年

Characterised by elegant lines and generous yet balanced proportions, 大彎弧形的圓材搭腦兩端以挖煙袋鍋榫連接後腿上截，穿過椅盤成為
this magnificent armchair displays painstaking and delicate 腿足。三彎弧形的圓材扶手飄肩出榫納入後腿上截，前端以挖煙袋鍋
workmanship, conveying a highly-refined aesthetic pervaded with a 榫與前腿鵝脖連接，穿過椅盤成為腿足，扶手中間支以三彎形上細下
strong sense of Court atmosphere. 大的圓材聯幫棍。靠背板由三段攢成，上段鑲鏤空如意紋牌，中段鑲
楠木癭子，下段鑲葉紋亮腳。靠背後方掛麻披灰。椅盤為標準格角榫
A variant of the ‘yokeback’ chair, the ‘Southern official’s hat’ seat 攢邊框，四框內緣踩邊打眼造軟屜。冰盤微起混面，抹頭見透榫。座
is one of the most highly-accomplished forms of Chinese furniture 面下帶耳形牙頭的牙條，左右兩側及後方安相似短牙條。前方腿足間
construction. Comfortable, elegant and somewhat less formal than 施踏腳棖，下有一素牙子，左右兩側各安二根底面削平橢圓形管腳
tall yokeback chairs with extended arms and top rails, the ‘Southern 棖，後方一根。
official’s hat’ seat displays elegant proportions without a heavy
appearance. The crestrail of this graceful seat appears to blend 此具黃花梨南官帽椅線條柔婉，曲直合度。大彎弧形的搭腦形成委婉
seamlessly into the back posts, as opposed to extending beyond 含蓄的一道弧線，勢如張弓。扶手前低後高，與搭腦走勢貫通，三彎
them, As with the ‘official’s hat’ counterpart. This effect was achieved 弧形曲線靈動，又與鵝脖自然銜接。柔中帶剛，暢通自然，傳達出高
through the use of the so-called ‘pipe-joint,’ a right-angle joint which 級的審美情趣和強烈的宮廷氣息。
also connected the curved arms to the front upright posts.
官帽椅形同官帽，自北宋起就主要供貴族文人及士大夫階層使用；
Yokeback armchairs were used since at least the Northern Song 其後背板相對平直的設計使人自然端坐其上，強化了使用者的尊貴地
dynasty as seats for emperors, deities, high-ranking officials. Their 位。南官帽椅作為官帽椅的變體，亦是中國古典家具中的經典類型之
relatively-straight back forced the body to assume a posture of upright 一。搭腦和靠背的弧形設計為人體提供舒適的支撐，相較之四出頭官
rectitude, thus inevitably bestowing honour, dignity and power on the 帽椅則更顯靈動優雅且不失莊重。此類坐具常以四張或更多為一組製
dignitary sitting on it. These chairs were usually made in sets of four 成，置於廳堂之上，用以待客。依照古禮，主客相會，主北面坐，客
or more, arranged in the reception hall for guests, with the hosts and 南面坐；明末以後開始流行「蘇坐」，即主客東西相向而坐。有關官
guests respectively seated in the north and south side of the hall. 帽椅的演進，可見S.Handler著，〈A Yokeback Chair for Sitting Tall〉，
However, towards the end of the Ming dynasty, this arrangement was 收錄於《Journal of the Chinese Classical Furniture Society》，1993年
altered to an east-west configuration. For a comprehensive view of 春季刊，頁4-23。
the evolution of the yokeback chair, see S.Handler, ‘A Yokeback Chair
for Sitting Tall,’ in Journal of the Chinese Classical Furniture Society, 三段攢靠背多見於圈椅和官帽椅，用於南官帽椅者極少。本例中靠背
Spring 1993, pp.4-23. 板上下設兩橫棖，上段如意云頭開光，沿邊起陽線，中段癭木板紋
理華麗，下段亮腳牙板壼門曲線柔美，生機盎然。亮腳牙板與如意開
It is very unusual for a ‘Southern official’s hat’ armchair to have three- 光，隔著中間素板遙相呼應，是為點睛之筆。攢靠背官帽椅子在明代
sectioned backsplats, a feature more frequently associated with 書籍版畫插圖常見，但傳世實例實為稀少。參見《西遊記》插圖版畫
‘horseshoe-back’ examples. Here the upper section is carved with a 所繪一例南官帽椅，收錄於劉柱柏著，《晏如居藏明式黃花梨家具》，
reticulated ruyi medallion; the middle section is set with an attractive 香港，2016年，頁98。
burlwood panel exhibiting highly-figured ‘grape-like’ grains; and the
lower section is defined by an arched apron. This elaborate design 香港大學博物館一組十七至十八世紀黃花梨攢靠背南官帽椅，四張成
was probably adapted to fit the aesthetic taste of the owner and may 堂，出處同上，頁99，編號17，可資參考。
have been inspired by a ‘continuous yokeback’ armchair depicted in a
woodblock illustration from ‘Journey to the West’ Xiyou Ji (1573-1619)
illustrated by Chu-Pak Lau, Classical Chinese Furniture from the Haven
Collection, Hong Kong, 2016, p.98.

Compare with a set of four huanghuali ‘Southern official’s hat’ armchairs,
17th/18th century, in the Hong Kong University Museum, which display a
related tripartite design for the backsplats, illustrated in Ibid., p.99, no.17.

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