Page 108 - CHRISTIE'S Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art 09/14 - 15 / 17

Massive in size and richly carved with dynamic fve-clawed dragons against a dense landscape of
swirling clouds, the present pair would have been important furnishings in creating an imposing and
majestic interior space. The present pair of cabinets are related to a pair of zitan compound cabinets
and hatchests located in the bedroom behind the Yang Xin Dian (The Hall of Mental Cultivation),
photographed in situ in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum – 54 – Furniture of
the Ming and Qing Dynasties (II), Hong Kong, 2002, p. 296, pl. 249., which exhibits the sumptuous efect
of an interior space furnished with highly ornate zitan furniture. (Fig. 1)
Cabinets of this type were commonly constructed in pairs and could be placed on opposing walls, fush
with each other, or separated by a smaller piece of furniture, like the pair in the Yang Xin Dian. Due to
their impressive size, compound cabinets were intended to serve as a central focal point of the interior
space. Garments and large items would have been stored in the lower cabinets, while smaller items
would have been kept in the top chests, often requiring the use of a ladder. Fitted with shelves and
oftentimes with drawers, their generous size made them ideal for storing long scrolls, bolts of fabric,
garments, and books.
Constructed from the precious hardwood, zitan, the present pair represent an extremely luxurious use
of a rare wood that was highly valued during the Qing dynasty. Zitan is a general term which includes
numerous species of wood, however, it is commonly agreed that it belongs to the genus Pterocarpus.
A purplish-black, fne-grained hardwood, zitan was considered the most prized hardwood by the
Chinese. The density of the wood makes this material especially suitable for fne and intricate carving.
The wood’s scarcity was compounded by the fact that the trees themselves are slow growing and
require centuries to fully mature into usable material. Although local sources of zitan exist in the
southern provinces of Yunnan, Guangdong and Guangxi, much of the material was imported from
Southeast Asia. As an imported commodity, its use was scrupulously monitored and carefully restricted
at the Imperial workshops.

Fig. 1. In situ image of a pair of zitan compound cabinets and hatchests in the “Hall of Mental Cultivation” (Yang Xin
Dian) in the Qing Court Collection. Courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing. Photograph by 馮輝 Feng Hui.

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