A RARE HUANGHUALI SIX-POSTER CANOPY BED WITH LATTICEWORK RAILINGS, JIAZICHUANG

Details

A RARE HUANGHUALI SIX-POSTER CANOPY BED WITH LATTICEWORK RAILINGS, JIAZICHUANG
LATE 17TH/EARLY 18TH CENTURY

The woven mat caning set within the thick, removable frame with double concave molding above a narrow waist and a straight plain apron supported on straight square legs ending in incurving hoof feet, the four corner posts joined on three sides with latticework railings of cross and interlocking C-shapes, the front railings of almost square section containing linked stylized cloud motifs, the upper back panels with openwork 'cloud and rope' motifs, the upper side panels with slanted wan characters, and the front well carved with panels of peony, plum and the 'peach of immortality', above three more friezes, the central one with writhing, confronted dragons flanked by two containing intertwined lingzhi fungus
88¼in. (224cm.) high, 87¾in. (223cm.) wide, 57in. (145cm.) deep

Literature

Sarah Handler, "Classical Chinese Furniture in the Renaissance Collection", Orientations, January 1991, p. 47, fig. 9
Wang Shixiang, "Additional Examples of Classical Chinese Furniture", Orientations, January 1992, p. 46, no. 9
Wang et al., Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, p. 20, no. 10

Lot Essay

This bed is unique for the variety of decorative panels on the top frame, the motifs alluding to wishes for a long and fruitful marriage. According to Wang et al., p. 20, such canopy beds would have formed part of the dowry of a bride and were often found in the women's quarters

It is also suggested by Wang et al. that this bed was produced by a particular workshop in Suzhou, Jiangnan, from which two other similar surviving beds, one in red lacquer and one in jumu, are thought to have originated