Page 487 - Art In The Age Of Exploration (Great Section on Chinese Art Ming Dynasty)

an amenity which raised the feet of the sitter off The profile view is especially telling, for there one they have liked to use zitan and huali [huang-
the cold stone floors of north China. Tongue-and- can see the perfect balance between the opposing huali] woods. They preferred plain to elabo-
groove joins hold the one-piece aprons in place, curves of the posts and the splat. The balance, rately carved pieces; but if they used decoration
wood-pinned mortise-and-tenon joins lock the clarity, and harmony of this chair fully justify it always followed the ancient patterns of the
thicker elements in place. As is usual, the back description of its style as classic, while the com- Shang, Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties. This
posts and legs of the chair were made of single, plex richness of its formal relations is sufficient to fashion spread all over China and was especially
continuous pieces of wood to which the armrests, elevate it to the level of abstract, nonfigurative popular during the Jiajing, Longqing, and Wanli
seat, and stretchers were attached. sculpture. reigns (i.e., 1522-1619). H.R.
From a single material, and using only a few Given the preeminence of Suzhou's artists and
elements in simple relationships, the craftsman craftsmen in nearly all areas of artistic endeavor
fashioned a utilitarian piece of furniture whose by the middle of the Ming dynasty, it has long
aesthetic impact is yet strong and complex. First been assumed that fine furniture too was a spe-
among the contributing factors is the huanghuali cialty of that talent-rich region. Wang Shixiang
wood, from which a majority of fine Ming furni- has recently introduced literary evidence to sug-
ture pieces were made. Occurring in colors rang- gest quite persuasively that the golden age of
ing from dark brown to light gold, and with a Chinese furniture began during the sixteenth
distinct and variable grain, this tropical hardwood century as a consequence of great urban prosper-
is still to be found in Hainan and Southeast Asia. ity coupled with the removal of legal restrictions
The simple shapes from which this chair is on the free importation of the requisite hard-
formed are arranged in an upward taper so as to woods. And the late Ming writer Wang Shixing
achieve an overall effect of stability. An alternat- noted that this general phenomenon was espe-
ing system of S-curves occurs in both the hori- cially marked in Suzhou:
zontal plane (top rail and armrests) and the
vertical plane (back splat and armrest supports). The people of Suzhou, being very clever and
This creates visual variety and a sense of move- fond of antiques, were skilled at using old
ment, since each change in the observer's point of methods to make things... such as small trea-
view reveals certain curves and conceals others. sures for the study, tables, and beds. Recently

486 CIRCA 1492