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Lot Essay
The design of the present table was inspired by bamboo furniture. The elegant wraparound elements and rounded members were carved to simulate the bamboo furniture construction technique of bending long stalks of bamboo using steam or heat. The abundance of bamboo made it popular among the lower classes, as a cost-effective and more easily portable alternative to the more luxurious huanghuali furniture. The present table would have been commissioned by a wealthy family, attracted to the humble origins of bamboo furniture, but seeking the luxury and status associated with precious huanghuali.
A pair of bamboo-inspired rectangular tables was sold at Christie’s New York, 17-18 March 2016, lot 1316. See also, another pair of banzhuo of related design and proportion, illustrated by G. Wu Bruce, Living with Ming - the Lu Ming Shi Collection, Hong Kong, 2000, p. 119, no. 27.
A pair of bamboo-inspired rectangular tables was sold at Christie’s New York, 17-18 March 2016, lot 1316. See also, another pair of banzhuo of related design and proportion, illustrated by G. Wu Bruce, Living with Ming - the Lu Ming Shi Collection, Hong Kong, 2000, p. 119, no. 27.