Page 130 - Bonhams, The H Collection, Classical Chinese Furniture, May 13, 2021 London

Elegant lines and generous yet balanced proportions characterise this 月牙扶手曲線優美，兩端出頭迴轉收尾。靠背板上端開光浮雕螭龍
magnificent pair of huanghuali armchairs. 紋，後腿上截出榫納入圈形彎弧扶手，下穿過椅盤成為腿足，鵝脖與
前腿足亦相同造法。扶手與鵝脖間打槽嵌入小角牙，扶手左右支以三
Chairs displaying this graceful silhouette were frequently portrayed in 彎聯幫棍。籐編座面，椅盤下的券口牙板浮雕卷草 紋，兩側面則裝素
Ming and Qing dynasty woodblock illustrations depicting their use in 券口牙子。腿間施步步高趕棖，踏腳棖及左右兩側管腳棖下各安一素
various domestic and official settings, such as dining rooms, scholars’ 牙子。
studios and entertaining halls. Whenever a representation of a banquet
shows both round-backed and square-backed armchairs in use, it is 圈椅常見於明清兩代的木刻版畫中，造形大器美觀，線條流暢，適
the latter which were occupied by the more eminent guests. 用於廳堂或居家各類場合。有關圈椅用途的詳細論述可見柯律格
著，《Chinese Furniture》，倫敦，1988年，頁24，以及安思遠著，
Quanyi armchairs denoted high status and were reserved for eminent 《Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing
officials and magistrates. During the late Ming period, these seats Dynasties》，紐約，1971年，頁86-87。
bore the imposing name of ‘Grand Tutor Chairs’ taishi yi. For a fuller
discussion about horseshoe-back armchairs, see C.Clunas, Chinese 圈椅因其圓而細的月牙扶手而得名。明代工匠通過複雜的楔釘榫造
Furniture, London, 1988, p.24. See also R.H.Ellsworth, Chinese 法，在硬木上復刻出竹篾彎曲的效果，傳達出豐盈且平衡的圓潤之
Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasty, 美。此對黃花梨圈椅線條簡約，比例得當，色澤溫潤，盡顯傳統手藝
New York, 1971, pp.86-87. 的精工細作。券口牙板的浮雕卷草紋或源自青銅禮器紋飾，反映了
十七世紀晚期文人階層的崇古思潮。安思遠認為，此種複古的紋飾
The inviting capacious arched crestrails were inspired by chairs 設計是為晚明至康熙時期的創新，見安思遠著，《Chinese Furniture:
of nearly-identical shape but made of pliable lengths of bamboo, Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasties》，紐
which were bent into a ‘U’-shape and bound together using natural 約，1971年，頁86。
fibers. These chairs display the ingenuity of Ming dynasty cabinet
makers, who were able to create a hardwood version by developing 安氏舊藏一具十七世紀黃花梨圈椅，售於紐約佳士得，2015年3月18
complicated joinery techniques. The continuous back was thus 日，拍品編號139，可資參考。
obtained by fitting together the separate members with a cut-out to
accommodate a tapered wood pin that locked them firmly in place
once inserted. This elaborate design called for utmost precision, as the
smallest error in the angle of any of the joints would be emphasised
by the adjoining members. A lacquer coat was finally applied to the
surface crestrail so that the underlying joinery was not visible and
virtually impossible to wrest apart.

The superb present pair of armchairs displays large arching crestrails
ending in pronounced scrolling hand grips, graceful and vigorous
outlines for the shaped aprons, and refined quality of carving for the
splat medallions and aprons. The crisp angular scrollwork may be an
innovation introduced during the late Ming/Qing dynasty. This feature
may have been inspired by designs found on archaic bronzes, thus
reflecting the interest in antiquarianism shared by the scholarly elites of
the late 17th century; see R.H.Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture. Hardwood
Examples of the Ming and Ch’ing Dynasties, New York, 1971, p.86.

A related huanghuali chair, 17th century, formerly in the collection of
Robert H. Ellsworth, was sold at Christie’s New York, 18 March 2015,
lot 139.

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