17TH/18TH CENTURY

The simianping, or 'four-corner's flush' form, is amongst the most attractive forms found in Chinese furniture construction. It relies on the simplicity of its lines and figure of the wood for its beauty, and the present table is a superb example of this successful combination. It is also a surprisingly durable form, although extant examples, particularly in zitan, seem to be quite rare. Furniture of simianping form is likely derived from the earlier method of box-construction, and it became a much revered form during the Ming dynasty. For an illustration of a Song dynasty prototype of this form, see Special Exhibition of Furniture in Chinese Paintings, The National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1996, pp. 50-1, no. 19. Compare, also, a huanghuali table of similar form and size, sold by Christie's, New York, 17 September 2008, lot 157, where it was also dated to the 17th/18th century.