Lot 105
105
A PAIR OF FINE AND LARGE HUANGHUALI YOKEBACK ARMCHAIRS, SICHUTUO GUANMAOYI

17TH CENTURY

Details
A PAIR OF FINE AND LARGE HUANGHUALI YOKEBACK ARMCHAIRS, SICHUTUO GUANMAOYI
17th Century
Each 'official's hat' crestrail with angular central cap and backward-projecting ends supported on round stiles extending to the back legs, the S-shaped splat well figured and unusually applied with shaped, pierced and concave beaded spandrels at the top and base, the curved arms with similar lingzhi-form brackets under the terminals, above a hard-mat seat, the legs enclosing curvilinear beaded aprons and braced by a plain footrest and stretchers
46in. (116.25cm.) high, 22in. (56.8cm.) wide, 19in. (21.7cm.) deep (2)

Lot Essay

The unusual presence of brackets in the spandrels of the back splat is reminiscent of the pair of inscribed chairs discussed by Tian Jiaqing in 'A Pair of Inscribed Ming-Style Official's Hat Armchairs', JCCFS, Summer 1991, pp. 21-24, where the brackets are elongated and include the pierced element caused by the undulation of the profile. Compare, also, the examples of yokeback chairs illustrated by R. H. Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture, pp. 108-111, figs. 1-4, where all the examples have simpler aprons and brackets and are of more squat proportions.