A FINE ZITAN LUOHAN BED WITH LATTICEWORK RAILINGS, LUOHANCHUANG

Details

A FINE ZITAN LUOHAN BED WITH LATTICEWORK RAILINGS, LUOHANCHUANG
17TH CENTURY

The soft-mat seat enclosed by the rectangular frame with 'ice-plate' edge supported on a narrow, straight waist and straight apron above powerful inward-curving legs ending in hoof feet, the back and sides with latticework 'carpenter's square' design of interlocking T-shapes, each piece joined by seamless double miter joints, the wood a pleasing reddish-purple tone
32 5/8in. (83cm.) high, 88 1/8in. (224cm.) wide, 50 3/8in. (128cm.) deep

Literature

Sarah Handler, "Comfort and Joy: A Couch Bed for Day and Night", JCCFS, Winter 1991, p. 16, figs. 17a, 17, front and back covers
Wang et al., Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, p. 16, no. 8

Lot Essay

A bed of almost identical design, but with zitan railings and tieli wood lower body, in the Shanghai Museum is illustrated by Wang Shixiang in Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture, vol. II, p. 131, C9, and again by Wang in Classic Chinese Furniture, pp. 184-185, no. 124

According to Wang, this kind of latticework is found on balustrades depicted in the Northern Wei caves at Yungang, and is evidence of the connection between architecture and furniture. For a detailed discussion of the construction of this kind of latticework, see Wang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture, vol. I, p. 133