Page 59 - Christies THE LAI FAMILY COLLECTION OF FINE CHINESE FURNITURE AND WORKS OF ART

918
A RARE LARGE HUAMU-INSET HUANGHUALI
‘FOUR CORNER’S EXPOSED’ ARMCHAIR,
SICHUTOUGUANMAOYI
17TH CENTURY

The sweeping crest rail is supported by a
C-shaped splat inset with an attractive huamu
panel and the gracefully curved black legs which
continue to form the feet. The soft mat seat is
set within the rectangular frame above plain
aprons and spandrels on all four sides. The legs
are joined by stepped stretchers and a footrest,
which is ftted with a removable bamboo cover,
all above a plain apron.
42√ in. (108.9 cm.) high, 22 in. (55.8 cm.) wide,
19º in. (48.9 cm.) deep

$200,000-300,000

PROVENANCE:

Property from the Lai Family Collection.

The grand and stately proportions of the present
chair are further distinguished by the richly patterned
back splat carved from a single section of tightly
knotted burl. The highly textured burl contrasts with
the amber-yellow tones of the huanghuali members,
striking a pleasing and refned aesthetic. Large
sections of burl are diffcult to fnd, as the tightly
knotted grain is susceptible to splits and breaks,
making this elegant C-form splat even more rare.
A similarly proportioned ‘southern offcial’s hat’
armchair, dated to the 17th-early 18th century, is
illustrated by M. Flacks, Classical Chinese Furniture: a
very personal point of view, London, 2011, p. 50-1.
As with the present chair, the refned design of the
chair is accentuated by the dramatic use of a single
panel of abstract-patterned huamu burl.

The generous sweep of the splat provides the
ideal surface to showcase the inherent beauty and
variegated tone of Asian hardwoods. See, a jichimu
yokeback armchair of similar form and proportions,
illustrated by Wang Shixiang and Curtis Evarts,
Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese
Furniture, Chicago and San Francisco, 1995, pp.
52-3, no. 24, which shows similar treatment of the
back splat. Unlike the present chair, the jichimu chair
has a back splat constructed from three sections,
with the largest section showcasing the feathery
texture of the grain. Compare, also, another example
currently in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts,
illustrated by R. Jacobsen, Classical Chinese Furniture
in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis,
1999, pp. 46-7, no. 6. The elaborate huanghuali
yokeback armchair, features a three-part back splat
comprising a large section of textured burl.

明末清初
黃花梨嵌樺木四出頭官帽椅

57